The phrase "clean forgot" may seem a bit unusual to some, particularly in terms of spelling. However, the origin of the phrase is rooted in the use of "clean" as an intensifying adverb - in this case, emphasizing the extent of the forgetfulness. The spelling of "clean" is straightforward, but the pronunciation of "forgot" is somewhat tricky - the IPA transcription is /ˈfləʊt/ (rhyming with "boat"), rather than the expected /ˈfɔːɡɒt/ (rhyming with "bought"). This is due to a sound change in English that shifted the pronunciation from the older form, "farget".
Clean forgot is a colloquial phrase that means to completely forget or to forget entirely. It can be understood as a stronger form of forgetting, emphasizing a complete lapse in memory or the inability to recall something. The term "clean" in this context suggests a sense of thoroughness or completeness, emphasizing the extent to which the person has forgotten.
This phrase is commonly used in informal conversations and is often employed when emphasizing the surprise or unexpected nature of forgetting something important. It conveys a sense of the memory loss being unintentional and unintentionally thorough.
The term "clean forgot" typically refers to forgetting specific information, such as an appointment, a task, or an important detail. It can also be used to describe forgetting someone's name, the content of a conversation, or other types of memory lapses.
For instance, one might say, "I clean forgot about our meeting today, I'm so sorry!" to express a complete and unintentional failure to remember an important commitment. Similarly, one might exclaim, "I clean forgot her name, even though we just met!" to emphasize the surprising and total lack of recall of a person's name. Overall, "clean forgot" encapsulates the idea of a complete and unintended act of forgetting.
The phrase "clean forgot" can be broken down into two parts: "clean" and "forgot".
The term "clean" in this context carries the meaning of complete or entirely. It comes from Old English "clǣne", which means pure or free from dirt. Over time, the word evolved to also represent thoroughness or completeness.
The term "forgot" derives from the Old English word "forgietan", which means to lose knowledge or awareness of something, or to fail to remember. It is a combination of "for" meaning "completely" or "thoroughly" and "gietan" meaning "to grasp" or "to get hold of". "Forgietan" transformed into "forgot" in Middle English.
So, the etymology of "clean forgot" is a combination of "clean", meaning completely or entirely, and "forgot", meaning to lose knowledge or remembrance of something.