Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. free or cured of venereal disease.

1743		J.E. Weekes ‘The Intrigues of Jove’ in A. Carpenter Verse in Eng. in 18C Ireland (1998) 296: But some of my readers cry, ‘Hold — / Consider the damsel was clean’.
c.1780		Correct List of the Sporting Ladies [broadsheet] Mrs E.M. assures [her friends] that she is thoroughly clean and may be met with [...] price for a flying stroke, 6d. all night 2s.

2. (UK Und.) without any form of incriminating identification.

1850		‘Ned Buntline’ G’hals of N.Y. 209: It was a clean operation, and worthy, in a professional point of view, of a first-class cracksman.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor I 250/1: A promiscuous robbery [...] if it was ‘got up clever’ and ‘done clean,’ so long as the parties escaped detection – might call forth a remark that ‘there was no great harm done’.
1901		Boy’s Own Paper 24 Aug. 738: Claim the reward out in Sydney for its recovery – one thousand pounds, and that would be clean money, anyhow.
1916		J. Lait ‘Canada Kid’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 162: ‘Is there anything on you?’ asked the Reporter. ‘Clean as a sucker,’ said the Kid.
1926		J. Black You Can’t Win (2000) 112: We are clean so far as the coppers are concerned.
1934		R. Sale ‘Nose for News’ in Goulart (1967) 210: ‘You’re clean on this thing?’ I said: ‘I’m clean, chief.’.
1948		H. McCoy Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye in Four Novels (1983) 98: Needn’t even have done that [i.e. change number-plates] [...] This was clean.
1959		A. Zugsmith Beat Generation 30: He’s clean. We’ve interrogated him.
1963		M. Braly Shake Him Till He Rattles (1964) 19: At least I’m clean.
1972		P. Fordham Inside the Und. 44: They knew the value of being clean if they were turned over.
1985		N. Pileggi Wiseguy (2001) 101: He said we had to keep the place clean.
1997		G. Sikes 8 Ball Chicks (1998) 193: Mam Sheik perfected her moves, covering her tracks and keeping her money clean.
2000		G. Pelecanos Shame the Devil 207: You have clean tags for it, amigo?
2008		Simon & Pelecanos ‘Late Editions’ Wire ser. 5 ep. 9 [TV script] No need to bring your iron. I got a clean nine for you with shaved numbers.
2010		K. Richards Life 203: What they wanted was a clean car and a clean driver.
2012		M. Wilkerson ‘A Clean White Sun’ in ThugLit Sept./Oct. [ebook] Two clean throwdown pieces sit next to a battered gold shield.
2020		D. Winslow ‘The San Diego Zoo’ in Broken 129: He’s the one who bought the gun from a Mexican [...] Montalbo assured him it was clean.

3. (UK Und.) skilful, expert.

1792		C. Dibdin ‘Tight Little Peter’ in Buck’s Delight 30: Zounds, I’m the clean thing, / Tight boy, little Peter.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1828		‘The Song of the Young Prig’ in C. Hindley James Catnach (1878) 172: The cleanest angler on the pad, / In daylight or the darkey.
1833		‘The City Youth’ in Out-and-Outer in Spedding & Watt (eds) Bawdy Songbooks (2011) IV 140: In the parks and public places now the kiddy’s to be seen, / And amongst the knuckling swells he is reckoned pretty clean.
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 61: Send I may live, if Billy arn’t one of the cleanest wipe drawers as is.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1956		Charlie Parker in Metronome Year Book 39 f.: I was crazy about Lester. He played so clean and beautiful [W&F].

4. honest, not corrupt; lacking a criminal record.

1877		A. Smith Street Life in London (1969) 98: I should think a good clean day’s work with strawberries will turn in about ten ‘bob’.
1901		J. Flynt World of Graft 16: If it is not clean, it is plain to him that the police department either has orders ‘from above’ not to do its duty, or has refused of its own accord.
1906		S. Ford Shorty McCabe 88: I’d been knockin’ around for months with someone who was clean all the way through.
1915		R. Service ‘Julot the Apache’ in Ballads of a Bohemian (1978) 430: I’m on the honest now, I am; I’m all fed up with crime. / You mark my words, the page I turn is going to be clean.
1935		R. Chandler ‘Spanish Blood’ in Spanish Blood (1946) 16: I guess he played it as clean as he could, but he couldn’t help but make enemies.
1952		Lait & Mortimer USA Confidential 79: Morrison, young, social, ambitious and apparently clean, is one of the few reasonably successful ‘reform’ city heads.
1961		W.R. Burnett Round the Clock at Volari’s 63: ‘No local record, and since you say he’s been at Volari’s for six or seven years, looks like he’s clean. At least in this town’.
1965		H. Rhodes Chosen Few (1966) 57: Baby, she’s a nurse. If she ain’t clean, ain’t nobody.
1991		B. McCarthy Vice Cop 55: [H]e thought some more about what Gussman was offering him: the chance to run a clean squad.
2005		P. Temple Broken Shore (2007) [ebook] ‘What about the fingerprints?’ ‘I’m taking your word you’re clean’.
2019		D. Winslow Border [ebook] ‘Maybe on the bricks I want to be clean’.
2024		C. Stella Joey Piss Pot 97: ‘Fuck you, rat. My partner is clean’.

5. (US) penniless, without money.

[1465–71		Mankind in Farmer Lost Tudor Plays (1907) 22: The devil may dance in my purse for any penny; It is as clean as a bird’s arse].
1770		Cheats of London Exposed 9: The unguarded gentleman is drawn on from set to set, and from small bets to large ones, till they have stuck him as they call it. [...] They seldom part with him, till they send him away sweet and clean.
1897		Ade Pink Marsh (1963) 168: When she gets th’ough ’ith him he’s so clean he don’ need to take no bath faw month.
1908		B. Fisher A. Mutt in Blackbeard Compilation (1977) 28: I hope she don’t steer me where it costs anything. I’m clean.
1914		T.A. Dorgan Indoor Sports 7 Jan. [synd. cartoon] I lost 6 myself — I’m clean — Funny where it went.
1927		W. Edge Main Stem 20: Blackey has long ago confessed that he is dead broke or ‘clean’.
1937		J. Tully Bruiser 38: I’m clean as a whistle – bet my whole end of the purse.
1944		D. Runyon Runyon à la Carte 100: Most of them are now clean as a jaybird, and maybe cleaner.
1968		J. Alard He who Shoots Last 83: I’m clean; not a coin in me sky rocket.

6. without any conditions.

1883		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 3 Nov. 6/2: ‘Tell me where he is and how to work him, and you shall have a clean quarter of the boodle’.
1949		R. Chandler Little Sister 90: Five Cs clean. Okay?

7. beyond any possible suspicion, guiltless; not involved in crime.

1917		‘A-No. 1’ From Coast to Coast with Jack London 79: Not a word of clean adventure we heard referred to.
1930		‘Leslie Charteris’ Enter the Saint 180: Their records, if you came to examine them closely, probably wouldn’t show up any too clean.
1938		G. Kersh Night and the City 217: Dog racing is dirty; boxing isn’t clean; racing stinks a bit.
1949		N. Algren Man with the Golden Arm 277: Schwiefka’s clean ’n you know it.
1958		R. Prather Scrambled Yeggs 35: The guy keeps clean.
1966		B. Reckord Skyvers III i: Colman’s a politician. ’E just kept watch in the graveyard, so he’s clean if the law starts askin’.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 167: The kid was waiting for me. He’s clean.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 20: Got to be cool, stay clean.
1982		P. Theroux London Embassy 79: I’ve got a pretty clean record, sir.
1999		D. Looser ‘Boob Jargon’ in NZEJ 13 238: clean adj. Innocent, naive person.
1999		Guardian Guide 19–25 June 4: The need to keep things clean, even though there was a strong whiff of payola.
2000		P. Cornwell Last Precinct 386: He’s a ATF agent. You assume he’s clean.
2019		N. Walker Cherry 112: The car was clean. The radio said to let the hajis go on their way.
2021		Breen & Conlon Hitmen 16: Since he was now ‘clean’ Coddington was unable to provide [cash].

8. sober.

1924		‘Digit’ Confessions of a Twentieth Century Hobo 185: What the majority of the public wants is good, clean news.
1936		in C.R. Cooper Here’s To Crime in Hamilton (1952) ) 221: There’s no drunkenness [...] she can go home as clean as when she left there.
1999		J. Ridley Love Is a Racket 252: Take a good look at Jeffty, clean and sober and ready for action.
2003		N. Griffiths Stump 20: — Don’t be worryin. Still dry I am, still clean. Still fuckin sober an bored to fuckin death.

9. (US Und.) peaceful.

1929		E. Booth Stealing Through Life 302: Mae asked: ‘Clean? No battle?’.
1952		C. Hamilton Men of the Und. 321: Clean, Without violence.

10. not carrying a weapon.

1946		J. Evans Halo in Blood (1988) 48: ‘See if he’s armed, Andrew.’ [...] ‘He’s clean, sir.’.
1958		R. Prather Scrambled Yeggs 124: [He] fanned me expertly with his left hand. He said surprised, ‘He’s clean. Imagine that. Pretty boy’s clean.’.
1973		D. Goines Street Players 204: He pulled open his coat. ‘You see how clean I am?’.
1989		(con. 1950s–60s) in G. Tremlett Little Legs 119: We were always clean. We left our shooters and tools outside.
1992		J. Mowry Way Past Cool 86: Lyon ran his hands up the small boy’s ribs, patted his pockets, and checked the tops of his shoes. ‘He be clean, Gordon.’.
2006		C.W. Ford Deuce’s Wild 53: The bouncer patted me down. ‘Dude’s clean,’ he said.
2010		Codella and Bennett Alphaville (2011) 50: We toss Michael but he’s clean - no gun, no dope.

11. (US black) aristocratic, upper-class.

1947

E. Condon We Called It Music 115: There was a lot of trump at Delavan; I have seldom seen so many clean† people.

12. (drugs) of a person (occas. place), not in possession of a drug or other contraband; cit. 1995 refers to a building.

1949		W. Burroughs letter 16 Apr. in Harris (1993) 47: This info was made available to the Feds [...] I doubt if you will ever be bothered, but best keep clean.
1953		‘William Lee’ Junkie (1966) 156: Clean . . . A user is clean if he does not have any junk on his person or premises in the event of a search by the law.
1961		T. Taylor Baron’s Court All Change (2011) 45: When they realised the gaff was clean they took some [cannabis] out of their pockets.
1966		J. Mills Panic in Needle Park (1971) 96: It’s perfectly safe, right? Like here I am, clean as anything, nothing on me. I just sit here.
1973		E.F. Droge Patrolman 104: My partner rifled through his pockets and came up with fifty dollars, but no action. ‘What did you do with it, you hump?’ he demanded. ‘We’ve been watching you pick it up.’ ‘I’m clean, man, I’m clean’ .
1981		D.E. Miller Bk of Jargon 340: clean: 1. With no drugs on one’s person.
1995		(con. 1985–90) P. Bourjois In Search of Respect 29: He was proud of this new operation and considered it legal because he kept it rigorously ‘clean.’ He expressly forbade drugs from being sold on the premises.
1998		L. Stringer Grand Central Winter (1999) 146: They don’t have any reason to come after me, I tell myself. I’m clean.
2000		P. Temple Dead Point (2008) [ebook]Stay clean or you’ll break her heart .
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 43/2: clean adj. 2 drug-free: ‘If your house is clean, then there’s no drugs inside’.
2010		K. Richards Life 5: I [...] could have put it [i.e. a collection of drugs] on the plane and driven clean. Why did I load the car like some pretend dealer?
2014		D.J. Fiore ‘Heart’ in ThugLit Sept. [ebook] They told me he'd be clean, but the powder-caked mirror [...] tells me otherwise.

13. (drugs) not using any form of drug, not currently addicted; drug-free.

1957		J. Gelber Connection 30: Yeah, man, we were going to stay clean. Clean, man, clean.
1962		(con. 1953–7) L. Yablonsky Violent Gang (1967) 277: Something happened at Synanon to make Frankie stay ‘clean’ for two years.
1971		R.D. Pharr S.R.O. (1998) 105: ‘You have been clean all your life [...] I use drugs. I do not take drugs’.
1971		M. Novotny Kings Road 237: I’m not having my kid born a junkie. When you’re clean you get the gold band.
1989		(con. 1930s) Courtwright & Des Jarlais Addicts Who Survived 298: I figure I’ll get clean and then come back.
1994		M. McAlary Good Cop Bad Cop 172: [W]hen they did finally give Dowd a urine test, he switched the vials, giving investigators ‘clean’ piss.
1998		C. Fleming High Concept 119: Clean but needing work, Newman found Simpson would neither take nor return his calls.
2003		J. Lethem Fortress of Solitude 426: They’ve never before [...] gotten clean, never went a day without drugs.
2006		G. Pelecanos Night Gardener 106: You can buy clean pee.
2010		K. Richards Life 296: I was not totally clean when I got to Nellcôte. But there’s a difference between being not clean and being hooked.
2012		J. Duke ‘Bastards of Apathy’ in ThugLit Sept./Oct. [ebook] Miss Padilla, she couldn’t remember faces anymore. Her life before she got clean last year made it so.
2017		www.firstthings.com Apr. 🌐 To say that an addict’s urine sample is ‘clean’ is to use ‘words that wound’; better to say he had a ‘negative drug test’.
2020		D. Winslow ‘Sunset’ in Broken 202: ‘He promised it would be his last fix before he [...] got clean’.
2023		A. Nette Orphan Road 14: ‘Don’t worry, Gary, the coke is for down time only [...] I’m always clean when I work’.

14. (US black/prison) of a person, dressed in the height of current male fashion, perfectly groomed.

[1834		‘The Slashing Big Drover-Boy’ in Libertine’s Songster in Spedding & Watt (eds) I 135: And she looks, vhen she’s togg’d out flashy and clean, / Like a carrot newly scraped].
a.1954		‘Mexicana Rose’ in D. Wepman et al. Life (1976) 36: Now we were big-time pimps from the New York scene, / And believe me, Jim, we were both real clean.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 31: I wish I could dress like you. You sure are clean aplenty.
1972		‘Soulful Spider’ ‘Pimp in a Clothing Store’ in Milner & Milner (1972) 288: He had some colors that would definitely make a rainbow look bad. Man! He was c-l-e-e-a-n!
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 232: clean Well-dressed.
1994		N. McCall Makes Me Wanna Holler (1995) 25: When dudes got clean they wore the latest styles: starched, high-collar shirts, sharkskin pants, and Stacy-Adams wingtip shoes.
2002		‘Touré’ Portable Promised Land (ms.) 153: We Words (My Favorite Things) [...] Threads. Dapper. Dipped. Clean. Sharp. Diva. Playa. Fly girl. Fly guy.

15. (also clean-ass) of an object, fashionable, well-made.

1954		‘Hot Rod Lexicon’ in Hepster’s Dict. 1: Clean machine – Car in good shape.
1971		Wurlizter & Corry Two-Lane Blacktop [film script] That’s nice, a ’57 Chevy. . . . Hmm, a 442 Olds. There’s a little muscle around [...] That’s a clean machine.
1979		‘Iceberg Slim’ Airtight Willie and Me 50: Phil’s Forty One Fleetwood [...] was a black beauty [...] almost as clean as his new Forty Six.
1993		K. Scott Monster (1994) 178: Hey, man [...] This is a clean van.
1995		G.A. Haywood ‘And Pray Nobody Sees You’ in Woods Spooks, Spies and Private Eyes (1996) 180: It was an old ’71 Barracuda, a clean and chromed-out borderline classic.
1996		UGK ‘Ridin’ Dirty’ 🎵 Have you ever been rollin in a clean ass ’Llac.
2000		Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 ham sandwich Definition: a Cadillac Brougham Example: My ham sandwich is clean than a mufucka!
2003		Dly Herald (Chicago) 7 Oct. 129/2: [advert] BMW 1998 [...] super clean, super sporty, paint the town red.

16. (US black) from a heterosexual point of view, devoid of any ‘deviant’ sexual practices, e.g. male or female homosexuality.

1971

R.D. Pharr S.R.O. (1998) 251: ‘When I come to you for real, Sid, I’m gonna be clean [...] the cleanest bitch that ever came to you and you’ll never regret it!’.

17. (US police) of protection money paid to the police, derived from crimes deemed relatively innocuous, e.g., gambling, as opposed, e.g., to narcotics traffic.

1972		Knapp Commission Report Dec. 92: There is a traditional unwritten rule among policemen that narcotics graft is ‘dirty’ money not acceptable even to those who take ‘clean’ money from gamblers, bar owners, and the like.
1996		J. Lardner Crusader 133: Historically, New York City cops had made a distinction between ‘clean’ money, involving gambling, blue law, and liquor violations, and ‘dirty money,’ involving prostitution, drugs [...] and more serious crimes.

18. (US) first-class, excellent.

1991		D. Jenkins You Gotta Play Hurt 273: ‘Draculer bad,’ the champion said. ‘Draculer was clean tonight’.
1996		UGK ‘Pinky Ring’ 🎵 You ain’t never seen, how a pimp be oh so clean / Fly women and fancy thangs, fly bitches and pinky rangs.
1998		(con. 1986) G. Pelecanos Sweet Forever 31: ‘She look good, man.’ Monroe pursed his lips. ‘Clean, too.’.

19. (US black/Und.) of a crime, well-planned.

1968

‘Sl. of Watts’ in Current Sl. III:2.

20. (US Und.) free of surveillance, or of undercover surveillance equipment.

1970		L. Sanders Anderson Tapes 23: I’ll call at noon every Friday until you’re set. Is your phone clean?
2003		H. Hill A Good Fella’s Guide To N.Y. 13: If some punk asks you if your ride is ‘clean,’ he wants to know if it was tailed or not.
2006		F.X. Toole Pound for Pound 141: The room was clean, so he ambled over and sat down.
2016		D. Whish-Wilson Old Scores [ebook] Over a few middies Heenan talked of utilising Swann’s counterintelligence skills to keep the premier’s offices ‘clean’.
2019		D. Winslow Border [ebook] ‘If he was wired up, the black-and-whites would already be rolling in to save they boy’s life. He clean’.

21. devoid of problems, often in contexts of crime.

1973		Buerkle & Barker Bourbon Street Black 87: The musician [...] may have to make restitution to the Muncie people, in order to keep things ‘clean’ with the Federation.
1980		G. Liddy Will 168: [T]here was no file on Ellsberg. We were quite disappointed, but at least the operation [i.e. a break-in] had been ‘clean’: in and out without detection.
1994		N. McCall Makes Me Wanna Holler (1995) 101: After several clean hits, it became clear to me that I’d found my hustle.
2000		G. Pelecanos Shame the Devil 199: Me and Roman were thinking you could set us up again with some kind of thing. Something cleaner than the last time. Less risk.

22. shaved; bald.

1992

B. Gifford Night People 111: Maceo shook his clean head no.

23. (N.Z. prison) innocent, naïve.

2001

D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 43/2: clean adj. 1 innocent, naïve.

24. (S.Afr. gay) circumcised.

2003

K. Cage Gayle.

25. (Aus.) devoid of tattoos.

2020

D. Whish-Wilson Shore Leave 195: [H]is brother wore chinos and boots, a tight black tee, clean arms.