# Etymology of the phrase "gone clear", meaning "died" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-phrase-gone-clear-meaning-died/375719 "2006-10-08T15:52:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-phrase-gone-clear-meaning-died/375719/1 "2006-10-08T15:52:29Z")
I take part in a music forum dedicated to resonator guitar (Dobro), and people there have used this phrase a few times, most recently in reference to bluegrass Dobro legend Josh Graves, who died last week. Someone asked about the phrase’s etymology, and no one was really sure. It was suggested that it had roots in the West Virginia-Ohio region (although, FWIW, I’m from WV, and never heard it). Anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-phrase-gone-clear-meaning-died/375719/2 "2006-10-08T16:57:34Z")
It evidently means “gone clear of this world” at least that’s a person’s take on it in this message board exchange… [http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:idZJfFe6vzYJ:www.jerrydouglas.com/BBDetail.cfm%3FMessArch\_\_ID%3D168+“gone+clear”+died+phrase&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=12](http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:idZJfFe6vzYJ:www.jerrydouglas.com/BBDetail.cfm%3FMessArch__ID%3D168+%22gone+clear%22+died+phrase&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=12) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-phrase-gone-clear-meaning-died/375719/3 "2006-10-08T17:27:12Z")
Do you think that this is what Leonard Cohen means in [Famous Blue Raincoat](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/leonard+cohen/famous+blue+raincoat_20082860.html)? > [@](#): > > Yes, and Jane came by with a lock of your hair > She said that you gave it to her > That night that you planned to go clear > Did you ever go clear? I don’t know why I find that song so haunting. If he’s asking the guy if he killed himself, that makes it even more haunting. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-phrase-gone-clear-meaning-died/375719/4 "2006-10-08T17:29:20Z")
It’s not from the Scientology concept of “clear”? Kinda like us AA members describing a deceased member as “forever sober”? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-phrase-gone-clear-meaning-died/375719/5 "2006-10-08T17:33:13Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Kinda like us AA members describing a deceased member as “forever sober”? [/QUOTE] Yeah, I was thinking it was something along those lines. Ham operators will say a deceased peer has gone “silent key”. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-the-phrase-gone-clear-meaning-died/375719/6 "2006-10-08T18:21:02Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] It’s not from the Scientology concept of “clear”? Kinda like us AA members describing a deceased member as “forever sober”? [/QUOTE] Many of the Google cites I found were related to Scientology. But I don’t know if it was a coincidence.