clean sheets

Meanings

1. 1nounpluralsport

   In sports such as soccer, a game in which a team or goalkeeper does not allow the opposing team to score.

   Grammar: Used as a plural noun: 'They kept three clean sheets in a row.' It is often used with 'keep' or 'record'.

   Patterns

   • keep a clean sheet
   • record a clean sheet
   • three clean sheets

   The goalkeeper has kept five clean sheets this season.

   Our team needs a clean sheet to stay in the competition.

   They celebrated after recording a clean sheet in the final.

2. 2nounplural

   Freshly washed bed sheets that have no dirt or stains.

   Grammar: Literal meaning: 'clean sheets' refers to bed linen. Always plural when talking about the items.

   Patterns

   • put clean sheets on the bed
   • change the clean sheets

   I love the smell of clean sheets after they come out of the dryer.

   She put clean sheets on the guest bed before her parents arrived.

   The hotel guarantees clean sheets every day.

Common combinations

keep a clean sheet

The defense worked hard to keep a clean sheet.

record a clean sheet

The team recorded a clean sheet in their opening match.

five clean sheets

He has five clean sheets in ten games.

clean sheets on the bed

She put clean sheets on the bed for the guests.

Synonyms and how they differ

shutout

Common in American sports like baseball or hockey; in soccer, 'clean sheet' is more usual.

blank

In British sports reporting, 'a blank' can mean a clean sheet, but it is less common.

Word family

sheet noun

A large piece of cloth used on a bed; the singular form of the literal sense.

Commonly confused: clean sheets or clean sheet?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “clean sheets”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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