clearance

Everyday

1. The act of clearing something away, like clearing land or rubbish. tree →
2. Official permission to do something, such as security clearance or clearance for a plane to land. tree →
3. The amount of space between two things, like the height under a bridge. tree →
4. A clearance sale: a sale with low prices to sell old stock. tree →
5. (football, rugby) Kicking or heading the ball away from your goal. tree →

In the lessons

In maths and everyday safety, clearance signs show how high a vehicle can be to pass under a bridge. In shops, the clearance rack has cheap items. In history, the Highland Clearances were when people in Scotland were forced off their land in the 1700s and 1800s. Phrases: "clearance sale", "security clearance", "height clearance".

Examples

• The bridge has a clearance of 3.5 metres, so the lorry can't fit. tree →
• I bought shoes in the clearance sale. tree →
• The pilot waited for clearance to land. tree →
• The defender made a great clearance off the line. tree →
• The Highland Clearances forced families from their homes. tree →
• The council did a clearance of the old rubbish. tree →

Note

Countable or uncountable. In maths problems with clearance: a vehicle can pass only if its height is less than the clearance: 3.4 m < 3.5 m fits, 3.6 m does not.