נקי, נָקָה (b. h.) [to be rubbed off, be white,] to be clean, clear (cmp. זָכָה).
Pi. - נִיקָּה 1) to cleanse. Ex. R. s. 1 ומְנַקֶּה אותם and cleansed them (the new-born); Yalk. ib. 164; Yalk. Ez. 354; (Sot. 11ᵇ מנקיר). B. Kam. 93ᵇ פשתן ונִיקָּהוּ if he stole flax and cleansed (bleached) it; Tosef. ib. X, 2; a. e. —2) to clear, let go unpunished. Yoma 86ᵃ (ref. to Ex. XXXIV, 7) מנקה הוא וכ׳ he clears the repentant sinners &c. Tem. 3ᵇ. Pesik. R. s. 42 כדי לנַקּוֹת את שרה in order to clear Sarah (from suspicion); a. fr.—Part. pass. מְנוּקֶּה, pl. מְנוּקִּין clear, clean, bare. Snh. 49ᵃ מנ׳ מגזל innocent of robbery. Sot. 28ᵃ. Snh. 36ᵇ, a. e. כשם שב"ד מנ׳ בצדק … מנ׳ מכל מום as the judges must be clear (from suspicion) as to righteousness, so must they be clear of every blemish (of descent). Gitt. 86ᵃ מ׳ מכל מום free from all objectionable qualities; a. e.
Nif. - נִקָּה, נִיקָּה,
Hithpa. - הִתְנַקֶּה to be cleared, vindicated. Tosef. Sot. II, 3 שנ׳ ונקתה נִקְּתָה מכל פורעניות וכ׳ (v. ed. Zuck. note) the text says (Num. V, 28) ‘and she shall be cleared’, she shall be cleared (released) from all the evils which might come upon her deservedly (because she gave rise to suspicion through her conduct). Ib. שניקללה ניוולה (Var. שניקל) read: שניקתה בניוולה she is released from further visitation (being sufficiently punished) by her exposure to disgrace. Pesik. R. l. c. היאך … מִתְנַקֵּת by what severe means has Sarah been vindicated!
*. - הִנְקָה to clear, remove. Kidd. 62ᵃ (ref. to הִנָּקִי, Num. V, 19) הַנְקִי כתיב it may be read hanḳi, clear thy life out of thy body (die, if thou art guilty); v. חָנַק.