What should be the verb for the action if someone takes the sauce, mayonnaise or curry on the plate with his finger into his mouth? The purpose is to consume it totally.
to clean the plate with finger
to clean off the plate with finger
What should be the verb for the action if someone takes the sauce, mayonnaise or curry on the plate with his finger into his mouth? The purpose is to consume it totally.
to clean the plate with finger
to clean off the plate with finger
I don't think there is one verb that covers the entire action described. I think your best option is to describe the action, for example:
He enjoyed the meal so much he made sure to get every last drop, running his finger along the plate for any missed morsels.
Either is correct and easily understood, but I believe that "clean" is somewhat more common than "clean off" (at least here in the Northeast U.S.).
Also, "finger" would need a determiner. For example:
She cleaned the plate with her finger.
(Of course, this doesn't indicate that she actually ate the food.)