clean bill of health
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A formal statement or official report that declares a person, organization, or thing is healthy, safe, or functioning correctly, with no problems found. It is an assurance that someone or something is in a satisfactory condition.
Usage
- The phrase is most commonly used in medical contexts but is frequently extended metaphorically to other areas like business, finance, or machinery.
- It is typically used with verbs like give, get, receive, or have.
- It is almost always preceded by the indefinite article "a" (a clean bill of health).
Examples
- Medical Context:
- After a thorough check-up, the doctor gave him a clean bill of health.
- She was relieved to get a clean bill of health from her cardiologist.
- Metaphorical/Other Contexts:
- The financial auditor gave the company's accounts a clean bill of health.
- The safety inspector issued a clean bill of health for the building after the renovations.
- My old car passed its MOT test and received a clean bill of health.
Advanced Usage
- "To be given a clean bill of health": This passive construction is very common and emphasizes the action of receiving the assurance from an authority.
- The software was given a clean bill of health by the security team.
- The phrase implies a prior examination or inspection. The "clean" result means no issues (or "dirt") were found.
Variants and Related Words
- All-clear (n): A signal or report indicating that danger has passed or no problems exist. (e.g., )
- Certification (n): Official documentation attesting to a status or standard. (More formal and broad.)
- Approval (n): The action of officially agreeing to or accepting something. (Less specific to health/condition.)
Synonyms
- Clearance
- Endorsement (of good condition)
- Favorable report
- Passing grade/mark
Antonyms
- Negative diagnosis
- Failing grade/mark
- Condemnation report
- Red flag
Related Idioms
- To get the green light: To receive permission to proceed. (Focuses on permission rather than a statement of condition.)
- The project got the green light from management.
- To pass with flying colors: To succeed easily and excellently, especially in a test.
- She passed her driving test with flying colors.
Noun
- an assurance that someone is healthy or something is in good condition
- the doctor gave him a clean bill of health