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to clear away

to clear away

10 1.8
To take things away from a place to make it tidy
  • phrasal verb
  • /klɪr əˈweɪ/
translation icon : recoger
  • To prepare the garden for planting, we need to clear away the dead plants and weeds.

So you do this and then you clear away all the snow and it says let it snow.

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Examples

  • Before starting the picnic, make sure to clear away all the trash from the area.

  • Morgiana comes into the kitchen where the servants are clearing away the plates.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • A woman came into the kitchen and began to clear away the breakfast.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I'm just going to clear away some dishes.

  • You need to clear away the cobwebs.

  • The waitress cleared away my empty plates and set down the Black Forest cake.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • While my mother clears away the supper dishes, he and I take his prescribed daily walk.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • When they'd finished eating and the waitress had cleared away their plates, Jack leaned back in his chair.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Winsom nodded and began to clear away the discarded dishes and linens.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • After dinner, we will clear away the plates and tidy the table.

Synonyms

to remove
vsto clear away
1.5

To move something or someone away from a place

specifically aims to tidy a space so items are no longer visible
to get rid of
vsto clear away
1.6

To remove or throw away something you do not want

is narrower, mainly about clearing places to make them tidy
to clear
vsto clear away
1.5

To remove people or things from a place

focuses on making a place tidy and hiding removed items
to take out
vsto clear away
948 1.9

To remove something from a place or container

is aimed at tidying a location by removing items from view
to eliminate
vsto clear away
  • NSFW
502 3.4

Remove or kill something completely so it is gone

focuses on simple removal to tidy rather than permanent elimination
to clean up
vsto clear away
433 1.0

To make a room or area free of dirt and tidy by removing mess

emphasizes simple removal to make things no longer visible
to clean
vsto clear away
260 1.0

To empty something completely

is about removing things to tidy a place and hide them
to put away
vsto clear away
225 2.0

To place something in its usual place for storage

focuses on removing items to make a place tidy rather than storing them
to take it away
vsto clear away
136 3.2

To remove something unwanted from a place

is more about arranging things neatly rather than rejecting them
to clear out
vsto clear away
91 3.1

Remove all things from a place so it becomes empty

is about tidying items away rather than emptying completely
to clean out
vsto clear away
91 3.2

Empty a place or container by removing everything inside

aims to tidy an area, not always to remove every item
to do away with
vsto clear away
88 3.7

Remove something so it is no longer used

is practical and local, aimed at making a place tidy or empty
to purge
vsto clear away
49 6.3

To remove unwanted substances, things, or people by cleaning

is gentler and practical, aimed at tidying a place without force
to strip
vsto clear away
42 2.7

Remove all covering or contents from an object so it is left bare

focuses on clearing items to tidy, not removing coverings or layers
to strip away
vsto clear away
27 4.0

Remove an outside layer or covering from something to show what is under it

describes quick tidy removal to make a place neat rather than gradual loss
to sweep away
vsto clear away
16 3.8

To get rid of something completely so it no longer exists

is about making a place tidy by moving items out of sight
to clear off
vsto clear away
8 3.0

Remove things from a surface to make it empty or clean

is about tidying broadly, not only clearing a single surface
to evacuate
vsto clear away
5 5.0

To take out what is inside a container so it becomes empty

is about simple tidying removal to make a place orderly and neat
to sweep out
vsto clear away
1 2.2

To remove dirt or leaves from a place using a broom

covers general tidying and removal by any method, not only sweeping
to scrub off
vsto clear away
1 2.5

To remove dirt or stains by rubbing hard with a brush

focuses on moving items away to tidy, not scrubbing surfaces
to unclutter
vsto clear away
1 4.1

To remove things you do not need to make a place tidy and easier to use

focuses on general removal to hide or clear items rather than decluttering strategy
to clean (something) off
vsto clear away
1 1.0

To remove dirt or mud from a surface

is about removing items to tidy rather than cleaning a surface

Antonyms

27 3.7

To fill a space with many things so it becomes untidy

To not take or change something so it stays where it is

How Tidy

to clear away
10 1.8
to put away
225 2.0
to leave
1.6

Surface Forms

clear away infinitive
cleared away past participle
clearing away present participle
clears away third person singular

Morphology

clear + away

The verb 'clear' (to remove) combined with 'away' (to another place) yields a directly compositional meaning: remove something so it is no longer there. This follows a common English verb + particle pattern and is cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Clear away comes from the simple image of moving objects so the space becomes clear and the mess is pushed away. That's why it means 'to remove' something or to make a place 'tidy'.