clareavam

Clareavam is the third-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Portuguese verb clarear. Clarear has senses related to making something brighter or lighter, and also to making something clearer or more understandable. The imperfect form indicates ongoing or repeated past action, used with plural subjects.

Etymology traces to the Latin root associated with brightness and clarity, a common source for related Portuguese words such as claro and clareza. In use, clarear can be transitive (clarear o quarto, clarear o dia) or intransitive (o céu clareava, as luzes clareavam). The meaning shifts with context from literal illumination to figurative clarification.

Usage notes emphasize that clareavam often appears in narrative past tense to describe scenes where light or clarity is increasing. Examples include: “As nuvens clareavam o céu ao amanhecer” (The clouds were clearing the sky at dawn) and “Eles clareavam o corredor com a lanterna” (They were lighting/clearing the corridor with the lantern). In everyday speech, clarear is sometimes preferred to esclarer/esclarecer when the focus is on brightness or light, while esclarecer tends to be used specifically for clarifying information or situations.

Clareavam is primarily encountered in Portuguese texts and speech across regions, including both Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese, though modern prose may favor other verbs for certain nuances. It is not a noun or acronym; it is strictly a conjugated verb form.