be given a clean bill of health

1. To receive a report of good physical health, as from a doctor's examination. A: "How did your doctor's appointment go?" B: "Good! I have officially been given a clean bill of health!" Josie was relieved to be given a clean bill of health from her physician. Yes, the lion was given a clean bill of health by the zoo's veterinarian team this morning.

2. To be said to be operating properly according to specific standards, as of an organization or process. Despite accusations that the company was responsible for polluting the lake, it was given a clean bill of health by local environmental watchdogs. After several years of financial trouble, the company was finally given a clean bill of health by economic analysts. Yes, the company dealt with an embezzlement scandal a few years ago, but it was recently given a clean bill of health by prominent people in the industry.

See also: bill, clean, given, health, of

clean bill of health

1. A doctor's report that a patient is in good physical health. Josie was relieved when she received a clean bill of health from her physician. A: "How did your doctor's appointment go?" B: "Good! I have officially been given a clean bill of health!" Yes, the lion was given a clean bill of health by the zoo's veterinarian team this morning.

2. An assurance that an organization or process is operating properly according to specific standards. Despite accusations that the company was responsible for polluting the lake, it received a clean bill of health from the environmental agency after a thorough investigation. After several years of financial trouble, the company was finally given a clean bill of health by economic analysts. Yes, the company dealt with an embezzlement scandal a few years ago, but it was recently given a clean bill of health by prominent people in the industry.

have a clean bill of health

1. To have a report of good physical health, as from a doctor's examination. A: "How did your doctor's appointment go?" B: "Good! I officially have a clean bill of health!" I'm so relieved to finally have a clean bill of health after all these months of dealing with pneumonia. Yes, the lion has a clean bill of health from the zoo's veterinarian team as of this morning.

2. An assurance that an organization or process is operating properly according to specific standards. Despite accusations that the company was responsible for polluting the lake, it has a clean bill of health according to the environmental agency's investigation. After several years of financial trouble, the company finally has a clean bill of health according to top economic analysts. Yes, the company dealt with an embezzlement scandal a few years ago, but it now has a clean bill of health from prominent people in the industry.

clean bill of health

A report confirming the absence of fault or guilt in a person or thing, as in Jeff checked every component and gave the computer a clean bill of health, or He had a foolproof alibi so the police had to give him a clean bill of health. This term comes from a 17th-century practice of requiring ships to produce a medical document ( bill) attesting to the absence of infectious disease on board before landing.

clean bill of health, to have a/be given a

To have passed a rigorous inspection. The term comes from the nineteenth-century practice of issuing an actual bill of health, a document signed by the authorities and given to the ship’s master, stating that no infectious diseases existed in the port of embarkation. If there was some kind of epidemic, the ship received a foul bill of health. Before long the term was transferred to the assurance that an individual or group or organization was found, after investigation, to be morally sound.

See also: bill, clean, given, have, of, to

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