Where does “broom-clean” come from?
broom-clean (English) comes from English broom, from Middle English brom, from Old English brōm, from Proto-West Germanic *brām, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrem-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- — to bear, carry.
broom-clean (English): Of a room, empty of personal property and swept clean of debris, though not necessarily professionally cleaned. Typically used in contracts to describe the expected vacated condition of a property upon moving out, despite having no unambiguous definition
Definitions
- Of a room, empty of personal property and swept clean of debris, though not necessarily professionally cleaned. Typically used in contracts to describe the expected vacated condition of a property upon moving out, despite having no unambiguous definition
Ancestry of “broom-clean”, step by step
broom-clean traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English broom
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | broom | A domestic utensil with fibers bound together at... |
| 2 | Middle English | brom | Broom shrub of the family |
| 3 | Old English | brōm | brushwood; broom; broom shrub |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *brām | blackberry, bramble |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrem- | to make noise |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |
via English clean
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | clean | "Free of dirt or impurities or protruberances.";... |
| 2 | Middle English | clene | clean |
| 3 | Old English | clǣne | pure, clear; clean, pure |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | klainiz | shining, fine, splendid; tender, precious |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | g(e)lēi- | gleaming |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵel- | to swallow; swallow |