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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CLEAN, adj. and v. Sc. usages. [klin Sc., sm.Sc. + klen]

I. adj.

1. Absolute, complete. Cf. the similar use in Eng. of the word pure.Sc. 1823 J. G. Lockhart Reg. Dalton III. 102:
I'se warrant, they'll hae some Hollands hereawa; for as to whisky, that's clean havers to spear aboot it.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 7:
"Ye spakk!" skirled he, clean bumbazed. Syne, seein Molly McKenzie frae Primary Six luikin agley at him, he fuspered insteid. "Ye spakk," quo he, in a sma voice. Abd. 2000 Herald (2 Oct.)  21:
When this beast came into the ring, it bounded back and fore looking as though it might jump clean over the top rail if it coudn't squeeze between the bars.Edb. 1870 J. Lauder Warblings 56:
For gossip or for clatter, He's a clean newspaper, For he hauds a' sorts o' news.wm.Sc. 1991:
They called her Harpic because she was clean round the bend. Ayr. 1785 Burns To Rev. J. McMath (Cent. ed.) viii.:
But twenty times I rather would be An atheist clean Than under gospel colors hid be Just for a screen.

2. Empty (Bnff.² 1937). Only used of whaling boats in Eng., or colloq. of an angler's basket.Ayr. publ. 1808 Burns O Tibbie! (Cent. ed.) iv.:
Altho' his pouch o' coin were clean.

In phr. to make a clean house (toon, toun) o(f), to leave or dismiss from a house or farm at the end of a period of engagement; used only when all the servants leave together (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁶, Ags.² 1937). Used ellipt. in Bch. quot.Sc. 1749 W. Fraser Hist. Carnegies (1867) 206:
I'm resolved to make a clean house of them all.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xliii.:
I hae made a clean house o' Jenny Balchristie and her niece. They were a bad pack.Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb viii.:
Peter Birse . . . was about to make . . . “a clean toon” of his servants.Abd. 1895 G. Williams Sk. of Scarbraes 55:
All Willie's fellow servants were leaving also — “making a clean toun o' 't.”Bch. 1923 J. Wight in Swatches o' Hamespun 57:
“Are ye bidin yersel, Geordie?” “Na, it's a clean toon wi' hiz yonner. He's nae sae dasht ull 'imsel . . . bit it's the wifie 't's warst.”

II. v. To clear, remove (Bnff.², Abd.²², Ags.¹ 1937).ne.Sc. a.1835 J. Grant Tales of the Glens (1836) 27:
Explain what ye mean, or upon my life, I'll clean the house o' the last one o' ye!Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 74:
“Sae mony heads,” cry'd out the clerk, “Cock on our Babylonish kirk; They maun be a' shorn aff and clean'd.”Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 204:
We took an' cleaned 'e preen-cod o' every needle and preen 'at was in o't.

III. Phrs. and combs.: 1. (to drink) clean cap out, see Cap, n., 5 (6); 2. clean da'keith, see Da'keith; 3. clean ever leevin', see Ever-leevin'; 4. clean-for-ever, of a gallop: very fast, unceasing; cf. 3.; 5. clean fung, see Fung; 6. clean(t) lan, land after a root crop which has been hoed and cleared of weeds, also applied to the succeeding corn-crop and attrib. (I., ne.Sc. 1975); †7. clean-throuwness, integrity; 8. to mak a clean breast wi', to speak one's mind to, to have it out with (someone) (Bnff.², Ags.¹, Lnk.³ 1937).4. ne.Sc.(D) 1922 “The Beylie” in Swatches o' Hamespun 81:
Tae the toon he gid, got len' o' the shult an' cam' t' the village for the doctor at the clean-for-ever gallop.6. Abd. 1920:
We're gaun tae cut the clean lan the morn. . . . It's as gweed cleant lan corn as I've seen oniewey.7. Abd. 1882 G. Macdonald Castle Warlock lxi.:
Gien we had been to be trustit wi' sae muckle for the safity an' clean-throuwness o' oor sowls.8. Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail III. x.:
To speak truth, I'm wearying to mak a clean breast wi' him, and to tell him o' his unnaturality to his dochter.