clearance
nounUK /ˈklɪə̯.ɹəns/ · US /ˈklɪɚ.əns/
Etymology From clear + -ance.
15 senses
- 1The act of clearing or something (such as a space) cleared.
- 2The distance between two moving objects, especially…
- 3The height or width of a tunnel, bridge or other…
- 4A permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel.
- 5A permission to have access to sensitive or secret…
- 6A permission to use something, usually intellectual…
- 7A sale of merchandise, especially at significantly…
- 8The settlement of transactions involving securities or…
- 9The removal of harmful substances from the blood; renal…
- 10The act of potting all the remaining balls on a table at…
- 11The act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending.
- 12Removal of pieces from a rank, file or diagonal so that…
- 13Clear or net profit.
- 14The first disposal in a chain that leaves the area of a…
- 15The act of leaving the area of a stoppage.
The act of clearing or something (such as a space) cleared.
- In conclusion, it must be reiterated that effective snow clearance is largely a matter of forward planning and departmental co-operation.1960 January 23, M. Harbottle, “Maintaining Services after Heavy Snowfalls”, in Railway Magazine, page 12:
The distance between two moving objects, especially between parts of a machine
The height or width of a tunnel, bridge or other passage, or the distance between a vehicle and the walls or roof of such passage; a gap, headroom.
- Clearance on these freeway overpasses is limited, so big trucks must detour.
- When the scheme is completed, the 99-year-old swing bridge over the canal will be dispensed with as the new bridge will have sufficient height to allow clearance for the passage of canal traffic.1954 February, “Notes and News: Deviation at Bramwith”, in Railway Magazine, page 137:
2 more examples
- To obtain the required overhead clearance at Stockport, it will be necessary to open out the Edgeley tunnels.1958 July 23, “Bridge Reconstruction for L.M.R. Electrification”, in Railway Magazine, page 488:
- Piggybacking introduced severe clearance problems for many railroads.1960 November, David Morgan, “""Piggyback"—U.S. success story”, in Trains Illustrated, page 684:
A permission for a vehicle to proceed, or for a person to travel.
- The plane got clearance from air traffic control, and we were off.
- He got clearance to travel to America, even though he had previous links to terrorists.
A permission to have access to sensitive or secret documents or other information.
- In a thread called “Calm Before the Storm”, and in subsequent posts, Q established his legend as a government insider with top security clearance who knew the truth about a secret struggle for power involving Donald Trump, the “deep state”, Robert Mueller, the Clintons, pedophile rings, and other stuff.2018 July 31, Julia Carrie Wong, “What is QAnon? Explaining the bizarre rightwing conspiracy theory”, in The Guardian:
A permission to use something, usually intellectual property, that is legally, but not otherwise, protected.
Medicine, Sciences The removal of harmful substances from the blood; renal clearance.
Ball games, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Soccer, Sports The act of kicking a ball away from the goal one is defending.
- Bolton were then just inches from taking the lead, but the dangerous-looking Taylor drilled just wide after picking up a loose ball following Jose Bosingwa's poor attempted clearance.2010 December 29, Chris Whyatt, “Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton”, in BBC:
Board games, Chess, Games Removal of pieces from a rank, file or diagonal so that a bishop, rook or queen is free to move along it.
Clear or net profit.
- There can, I believe, be no doubt of this, that sugar can be made better and cheaper in large quantities than in small. But the clearance, sir; that is the question. How would this affect the clearance? The sugar manufacturer would want his profit.1859, Anthony Trollope, The West Indies and the Spanish Main:
The first disposal in a chain that leaves the area of a stoppage, or a disposal that leaves the area of a stoppage itself.
Australian rules football
The act of leaving the area of a stoppage.
Australian rules football