clean out

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

clean out (third-person singular simple present cleans out, present participle cleaning out, simple past and past participle cleaned out)

1. (transitive) To clean, especially to tidy by removing the contents.

   Hyponyms: clear out, dig out, muck out, shovel out

   Clean out your purse and at least get rid of all the trash you're hauling around.

   • 1959 March, R. C. Riley, “Home with the Milk”, in Trains Illustrated, page 155:

     As soon as they have been pumped dry they are thoroughly cleaned out with high pressure hoses to prepare them for the next load.

2. (transitive, slang) To take all money or possessions from.

   Synonyms: clear out, take to the cleaners

   Coordinate term: wipe out

   The divorce cleaned him out.

   • 1969, William Goldman, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, spoken by Macon (Donnelly Rhodes):

     Well, looks like you just about cleaned everybody out, fella. You haven't lost a hand since you lost the deal.

3. (transitive, dated, slang) To hit or strike (someone); to beat up.
   • 2000, Antonia Logue, Shadow-Box‎:

     could have cleaned him out with an uppercut to the side of his head.

• cleanout (noun)