Clean Bill of Health

Also: Give Someone a Clean Bill of Health

Meaning of Idiom ‘Clean Bill of Health’

1. A clean bill of health is a report or notification from a doctor that one is healthy and free of disease or other health conditions. 1,2,3

2. A report that states the absence of fault or guilt in a person. 4

3. A report that states the absence of a flaw or malfunction in something, such as a computer or machine. 5

4. A report that an organization is operating correctly and within guidelines or regulations. 6


Want to see more videos from Idioms.Online? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Usage

Usually, someone is ‘given a clean bill of health’ by a doctor or other health professional. To give someone a clean bill of health is to declare them healthy and fit after a thorough examination. 7

Examples Of Use

“My doctor gave me a clean bill of health. He says I can compete in the marathon with no worries.”

“After his cancer scare, Dan was happy to be given a clean bill of health by his doctor.”

“After a thorough inspection, the restaurant was given a clean bill of health by the local health department.”

“Our books have been gown over thoroughly by an independent firm and we were given a clean bill of health.”

Origin

This idiom is based on the 17th century practice of a ship’s crew being examined by a health official and the ship being given a clean bill of health if no infectious disease was found. A ship had to present this ‘bill’ before landing at a port. 8

More Idioms Starting with C

More Bill Idioms

More Clean Idioms

More Health Idioms

References
  1. Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms]. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010.
  2. McCarthy, Michael. Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms. Cambridge University Press, 2002
  3. Kirkpatrick, Elizabeth M. The Wordsworth Dictionary of Idioms. Ware: Wordsworth, 1995.
  4. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
  5. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
  6. Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms]. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010.
  7. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
  8. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.