From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishclear up phrasal verb1 TIDYto make a place look tidier by putting things back where they belong I don’t mind you using the kitchen as long as you clear up afterwards.clear something ↔ up Adam, clear up this mess before your father sees it. after I get really tired of clearing up after you (=tidying places that you have made untidy).2 clear something ↔ upSOLVE/FIND THE ANSWER to explain or solve something, or make it easier to understand The White House hopes these problems can be cleared up soon. There are a couple of points we need to clear up before the meeting begins.3 IMPROVEif the weather clears up, it gets better4 RECOVER/GET BETTERif an illness or infection clears up, it disappears → clear→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
clear up• It'll take ages to clear this up.• It looked as if Marie had already cleared the place up.• I was hoping that your research would clear up a question that has been bothering me.• I spend my life clearing up after the children.• Who's going to clear up after the party?• Can you clear something up for us? How old are you?• The Dreyfus case was never completely cleared up. It remains a mystery.• Wait for me, I just need to clear up my desk.• John's offered to clear up the churchyard this weekend.• Someone's got to clear up this mess!clear after• Always clear up after a picnic and never drop litter 9 Help to keep all water clean.• Did her own work and didn't expect me to clear up after her.• They also had to clear up after passengers who were airsick.• These infections cleared up after standard treatment and temporary discontinuation of the cyclosporin.• An army of workmen and volunteers worked all day to clear up after the raiders flooded the main stand.• You clear up after yourself, gal? 