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cleanse

(klĕnz)

tr.v. cleansed, cleans·ing, cleans·es

a. To free from dirt, contamination, or impurities: cleansed the wound.

b. To treat (the body or an organ) with a regimen intended to remove impurities and promote health: drank vegetable juice for a week to cleanse her digestive system.

2. To purify morally or spiritually: cleanse the organization of corruption; cleansed of sin.

3. To subject to ethnic cleansing.

An act of cleansing: a cleanse of the digestive system.

Idiom:

cleanse the/one's palate

To clear the mouth of strong flavors: served sherbet between courses to cleanse the palate.

[Middle English clensen, from Old English clǣnsian, from clǣne, pure, clean.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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