a clean sheet (of paper)

An opportunity to start fresh despite past mistakes or problems. I know we've had our differences, but I'd like to repair our friendship. Can we start with a clean sheet of paper? After that fiasco in Texas, I'm moving to Oregon so I can have a clean sheet. Let's get all this financial stuff finished before the end of December so that we can have a clean sheet of paper for the start of the year.

See also: clean, sheet

clean sheet

1. An opportunity to start fresh despite past mistakes or problems. I know we've had our differences, but I'd like to repair our friendship. Can we start with a clean sheet? I really appreciate you giving me a clean sheet after I failed that first test. The guy has cheated on you multiple times! Stop giving him a clean sheet!

2. In sports, a game or series of games in which one side wins with the opposing side(s) being unable to score any points. Primarily heard in UK. The football team has kept a clean sheet for the last three games. I don't think anyone can score against them! If their goalie keeps playing stellar football like this, the clean sheet will continue, no question. With their subpar defense, I don't see a clean sheet in their future this year.

See also: clean, sheet

a clean sheet

1. If you start something with a clean sheet, you start it again, with none of the problems or mistakes from the past. The Christmas break has allowed the Government to start the new year with a clean sheet. Given a clean sheet, what would you do? Note: You can also use the full expression a clean sheet of paper. We started with a clean sheet of paper, having put the past behind us.

2. In a football match, if a team keeps a clean sheet, no goals are scored against them. If Ipswich keep a clean sheet tonight, it will be their 27th of the season.

See also: clean, sheet

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

a clean sheet (or slate)

an absence of existing restraints or commitments.

2003 Guardian Given a clean slate and an impressive budget, I would love to programme a festival…that exposed audiences to completely new forms of music-making at their best and most diverse.

See also: clean, sheet

a clean ˈsheet/ˈslate

a record of your work or actions that does not show any mistakes or bad things that you have done: At the new school, you will start with a clean slate. ♢ They kept a clean sheet in the match (= no goals were scored against them).