clarear

Senses

1. 1.

   to lighten, to brighten

   to make or become lighter in color or brightness

2. 2.

   to dawn, to break (day)

   to begin to grow light in the morning

3. 3.

   to bleach, to whiten

   to make something whiter or lighter, especially hair or fabric

4. 4.

   to clarify, to clear up

   to make something clearer or easier to understand

Examples

• "Vou clarear meu cabelo no salão amanhã."

  I'm going to lighten my hair at the salon tomorrow.

• "O dia começou a clarear por volta das cinco da manhã."

  The day started to break around five in the morning.

• "Precisamos clarear essas manchas da roupa branca."

  We need to bleach these stains on the white clothes.

Usage

Common in everyday Brazilian Portuguese. Often used reflexively as "clarear-se" (to become lighter). Very frequent in contexts involving hair lightening/bleaching and daybreak. The verb "amanhecer" is a synonym for the "dawn" meaning.