clear a Cp Limerick Reporter and Tipperary Indicator (1867) 23 June 'the west gate [of Carrick-on-Suir] facing "the clear air" of Tipperary'; ADD clear of (Nf1d); DAE a 3 clear thing.
   Phr clear air: epithet for person originally from Tipperary; member of Newfoundland-Irish faction.
   1863 PEDLEY 294 Two great Irish factions established themselves [c1815] in St John's. They had various names denoting the different parts of Ireland from which they came. The watchword of those from the county of Tipperary was 'Clear Air.' 1895 PROWSE 402 The Tipperary 'clear airs'. . and a number of other names for the [St John's Irish factions].
   clear drop: the open sea; BLUE DROP.
   1924 ENGLAND 165 An' de mudder o' he—her'll come an' find un, ahl rate, even if him out in de cl'ar drop.
   clear of: except for, apart from; in addition to.
   1924 ENGLAND 51 Well, clear o' Levi, ye got thirty an' thirty-one apiece. Can't get it nigher'n that! 1962 Nfld Fisheries Conf 240 There's not too much facilities for keeping fish making, clear of those community stages. Ibid 268 We salt quite a bit of our fish in the summer, clear of what we sell green. T 43/4-64 They were fierce to a stranger. In fact, they were fierce to everybody, clear o' the owner. P 245-74 [Young men] knows there's some things in life clear o' fishin'. 1977 Them Days ii (3), p. 6 I killed two more [polar bears] clear of that one.
   clear thing: ideal material or solution.
   1971 CASEY 117 Bakeapples are the clear thing [for stomach cramp]. P 13-74 ~ ideal, perfect (substance).

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