cleanse

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to purge of an ideology, bad thoughts, or sins

   Some people believe that purgatory cleanses you from your sins.

From Middle English clensen, from Old English clǣnsian, from Proto-West Germanic *klainisōn, from Proto-West Germanic *klainī (“clean”). Cognate with West Frisian klinzgje (“to clean, cleanse”), archaic Dutch kleinzen (“to clean, purify”), Middle Low German klênsen, kleinsen, clensen (“to purify”).

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