clean out
Meaning(s)
1. an act of removing objects to make a place or area tidy
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
clean out a house/car/room
Analysis
As a noun, a 'clean-out' of somewhere or something means to remove items or objects in order to make a place cleaner or tidier. You might have a 'clean-out' of a house before redecorating or 'a clean-out of your car' before bringing it to a mechanic. You can also 'clean-out' a bank account for example, which means to remove so much money that nothing is left. As a phrasal verb 'clean out' refers to the action of removing things to make something seem cleaner or tidier. Used in social and professional contexts.
Social Examples (Basic)
- The couple cleaned out their apartment before moving into their new home.
- I'll pay you to clean out my car, said the father to his son.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- We had a clean out of the office and moved a few things around. The space is much better to work in now.
- There is a lot of stuff stored here that we don't use anymore I think it's time we had a clean out.