cleanse

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English

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Etymology

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From Old English clǣnsian, from Proto-West Germanic *klainisōną, from Proto-Germanic *klainiz (clean). Cognate with archaic Dutch kleinzen (to clean; to purify).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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cleanse (third-person singular simple present cleanses, present participle cleansing, simple past and past participle cleansed)

  1. (transitive) To free from dirt; to clean, to purify.
    • 2013 June 1, “A better waterworks”, in The Economist[1], volume 407, number 8838, page 5 (Technology Quarterly):
      An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.
  2. (transitive) To spiritually purify; to free from guilt or sin; to purge.
    • 1626, William Methold [i.e., William Methwold], “Relations of the Kingdome of Golchonda, and Other Neighbouring Nations within the Gulfe of Bengala, Arreccan, Pegu, Tennassery, &c. []”, in [Samuel] Purchas, Purchas His Pilgrimes. [], 5th part, London: [] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, [], →OCLC, page 993:
      [T]he famous Ganges: whoſe vnknowne head, pleaſant ſtreames, and long extent, haue amongſt thoſe Heathen Inhabitants, (by the Tradition of their Forefathers) gained a beliefe of clenſing all ſuch ſinnes, as the bodies of thoſe that waſh therein brought with them: [...]
  3. (transitive) To remove (something seen as unpleasant) from a person, place, or thing.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Noun

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cleanse (plural cleanses)

  1. An act of cleansing; a purification.
    Synonym: cleansing
    I regularly visit the spa for a massage and a facial cleanse.

Translations

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Anagrams

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