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to clarify

to clarify

5 4.2
To remove solid bits so a liquid becomes clear
  • verb
  • /ˈklærɪfaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : clarificar
  • PHOTO (COLOR): Adrian Monge inspects clarified juices extracted from sugarcane stalks.
  • clarified water

Examples

  • The LAPD's stance was clarified just an hour ago by Chief Matthew Rogers.

  • Once the raw juice has been drawn from the cane, it's clarified to remove impurities.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The other components of bauxite do not dissolve. The solution is clarified by filtering off the solid impurities.

    Blog text (18)
  • After secondary fermentation, the wine is cooled, clarified, and bottled using a counter pressure filler.

    Blog text (16)
  • The juice must be clarified to ensure it is free from any solids before bottling.

  • In the wine-making process, the grape juice is clarified to improve its clarity and flavor.

  • To achieve a clear broth, it is essential to clarify the soup by straining out the vegetables.

Synonyms

to filter
vsto clarify
138 3.0

To pass something through a device that removes unwanted parts

often removes impurities by heating rather than by passing through a medium
to clear
vsto clarify
74 1.0

To make water or air free from harmful substances

applies mainly to liquids and often removes solids by heating
to refine
vsto clarify
  • Specialized
41 3.9

Remove unwanted parts from a material to make it pure

is about making liquids clear often using heat, not broad industrial processes
to purify
vsto clarify
30 4.6

To remove dirt and bad chemicals from water or air to make them clean

is specific to liquids and often uses heating to remove solids
to filter out
vsto clarify
20 3.8

To remove unwanted things from water, air, or lists by letting the rest pass

does removal for liquids often using heat instead of passing through a medium
to render
vsto clarify
7 9.1

To melt animal fat to remove bits and keep the clear fat

focuses on liquids generally rather than only melting fat for removal
to sieve
vsto clarify
1 5.8

Pass a powder or liquid through fine mesh to remove lumps

focuses on making liquids clear often using heat, not just removing large lumps
to filtrate
vsto clarify
  • Specialized
7.3

To remove solid parts from a liquid or gas using a filter

achieves clarity mainly by heating liquids rather than through porous separation

How Clear

to purify
30 4.6
to clarify
  • Specialized
5 4.2
filter
139 2.8
to strain
26 3.7
to settle
  • Specialized
142 4.4

Surface Forms

clarify infinitive
clarified past
clarified past participle
clarifying present participle
clarifies third person singular

Morphology

clarify = clear (semi-transparent) = clar + ify

The physical sense 'make a liquid clear' is directly related to 'clear' + '-ify', but the stem alternation (clar-) and the shift from abstract to physical clearing slightly reduce immediate obviousness.

Etymology

Clarify comes from the old Latin root clar- meaning 'clear' and the ending -fy meaning 'make'. So in cooking and science to clarify a broth or butter is to take out bits so the liquid becomes 'clear'.