clean house
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clean house
1. To rid a group or organization of the people or policies that are deemed to be troublesome or lacking. After five losing seasons, the owner cleaned house, firing the team's general manager and the entire coaching staff.
2. To strike one violently. If you humiliate me like this again, I'll clean house on you.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
clean house
1. Wipe out corruption or inefficiency, as in It's time the Republican Party cleaned house. This usage is most often applied to an organization. [Slang; c. 1900]
2. Punish, give a beating, as in Whenever he was drunk he threatened to clean house on one and all. [Slang; c. 1900]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
clean house
eliminate corruption or inefficiency. North AmericanFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
clean ˈhouse
(American English) remove people or things that are not necessary or wanted: The new manager said he wanted to clean house.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
clean house
Slang To eliminate or discard what is undesirable: The scandal forced the company to clean house.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.