# clearing

Pronunciation: say "KLEER-ing" US /ˈklɪɹ.ɪŋ/, UK /ˈklɪə.ɹɪŋ/

## Noun

1. An open patch of ground inside a wood or forest where no trees grow.
   - Simple: A space in a forest where no trees grow.
   - _The hikers reached a wide clearing where sunlight poured through the canopy._
   - _Wildflowers covered the clearing at the heart of the old forest._
2. The act or process of making something clear, or of something becoming clear.
   - Simple: The act of making something clear, clean, or empty.
   - _The clearing of the drains prevented flooding during the heavy storm._
   - _Doctors recommend gentle clearing of the throat rather than forceful coughing._
3. The process of exchanging transaction information and authorization through a central institution to complete and settle payments.
   - Simple: When banks check and settle payments through a central system.
   - _The clearing of cross-border payments can involve several intermediary banks._
   - _Faster clearing of transactions has reduced settlement risk for traders._
5. An open space within fog, mist, or cloud where visibility is good.
   - Simple: A space in fog or mist where the air is clear.
   - _A sudden clearing in the mist revealed the distant mountain peaks._
   - _Sailors steered toward a clearing in the fog to spot the shoreline._
6. In British higher education, the period during which remaining university places are matched to students who have not yet secured one. *(British)*
   - Simple: In the UK, the time when leftover university places go to students who still need one.
   - _He secured a spot on the engineering course through clearing after his results came out._
   - _Clearing opens as soon as A-level results are released in mid-August._
7. In soccer, the act of kicking the ball away from the area around one's own goal to relieve pressure.
   - Simple: In soccer, kicking the ball away from the area near your own goal.
   - _The defender's desperate clearing kept the ball out of the net._
   - _A poor clearing fell straight to an opposing striker._
8. In telecommunications, the sequence of events that disconnects a call and returns the line to its ready state.
   - Simple: In phone systems, the steps that end a call and get the line ready again.
   - _Proper clearing of the connection frees the channel for new traffic._
   - _A fault during clearing can leave the line stuck off-hook._

## Verb

4. Present participle and gerund of clear. — present participle and gerund of clear
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of clear. Use this -ing form for an action happening now or as the name of the action.
   - _The workers are clearing debris from the blocked road._
   - _Clearing the backlog of emails took her all morning._

## Origin

Formed from "clear" combined with the suffix "-ing."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/clearing (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).