clearance
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
official permission for someone to do something or to see secret information.
official authorisation for a person to access classified information or for a vehicle to proceed.
Simple“The pilot waited for clearance from the tower before taking off.”
In context“After a rigorous background check, the consultant was finally granted security clearance to review the sensitive government files.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the amount of empty space between two objects that allows them to pass each other.
the physical distance or headroom between two objects, particularly in engineering or architecture.
Simple“The truck was too tall and didn't have enough clearance to go under the bridge.”
In context“The architect had to ensure there was sufficient clearance between the moving parts of the elevator and the shaft walls.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
a sale where a shop sells things at very low prices to get rid of them quickly.
the disposal of inventory at reduced prices to make room for new merchandise.
Simple“I bought these shoes for half price at the end-of-season clearance.”
In context“The retailer announced a massive clearance to liquidate old stock before the new winter collection arrived in stores.”
Synonymsliquidationsell off - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of removing things that are not wanted from a place.
the act of clearing an area of obstructions, unwanted items, or people.
Simple“The council ordered the clearance of the old building site to make it safe.”
In context“The slum clearance project aimed to replace dilapidated housing with modern apartments and green spaces.”
Synonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of kicking or hitting a ball away from your own goal to stop the other team from scoring.
a defensive play in which the ball is moved away from the goal area to relieve pressure.
Simple“The defender made a great clearance just as the striker was about to shoot.”
In context“A desperate goal-line clearance in the final minute of the match secured the victory for the home team.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
the way your body gets rid of a drug or a harmful substance from your blood.
the rate at which a substance is removed from the blood, typically by the kidneys.
Simple“The doctor checked the patient's renal clearance to see how well their kidneys were working.”
In context“The pharmacokinetics study measured the total body clearance of the drug to determine the appropriate dosage frequency.”
Synonymseliminationexcretion - 07 C1 Advanced
the process of moving money between banks to finish a payment or a trade.
the procedure by which a clearing house settles accounts between member banks or brokers.
Simple“The bank said the clearance of the international cheque would take five business days.”
In context“Automated clearance systems have significantly reduced the time required for high-value interbank transactions to be finalised.”
Synonyms
“Morgan Lake cleared 1.88 metres for eighth in the women's high jump final, won by Yaroslava Mahuchikh after Ukraine's Olympic champion produced a first-time clearance over 1.97m.”
“Reading them, the amount that it brought me to tears was unreal.” So he decided to offer one free garden clearance a week.”
From clear + -ance.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.