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cleaner

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be taken to the cleaners (by someone)

1. To have a lot or all of one's money taken, swindled, or cheated (by someone). I was taken to the cleaners by the IRS after they found out I hadn't been declaring my freelance work on my tax returns. I made such a big deal about going to the poker tournament that I couldn't bear to tell my husband that I'd been taken to the cleaners.

2. To be soundly defeated or bested; to lose by a wide margin. The young team's inexperience showed on the field today, as they were taken to the cleaners by the veteran squad.

See also: cleaner, taken

get taken to the cleaners (by someone)

1. To have a lot or all of one's money taken, swindled, or cheated from one (by someone). I got taken to the cleaners by the IRS after they found out I hadn't been declaring my freelance work on my tax returns. I don't mind you going to some poker tournament with your friends, just don't get taken to the cleaners or anything.

2. To be soundly defeated or bested; to lose by a wide margin. The young team's inexperience is showing on the field today, as they're getting positively taken to the cleaners by the veteran squad.

See also: cleaner, get, taken

take someone to the cleaners

 

1. Sl. to take a lot of someone's money; to swindle someone. The lawyers took the insurance company to the cleaners, but I still didn't get enough to pay for my losses. The con artists took the old man to the cleaners.

2. Sl. to defeat or best someone. We took the other team to the cleaners. Look at the height they've got! They'll take us to the cleaners!

See also: cleaner, take

take somebody to the cleaners

to cheat someone of money Some people say the company took them to the cleaners by charging double for some services.

See also: cleaner, take

take somebody to the cleaner's

 

1. (informal) to get a lot of money from someone, usually by cheating them He got into a game of poker with two professional gamblers and, of course, they took him to the cleaner's.

2. (informal) to defeat someone by a very large amount They don't like playing us because we took them to the cleaner's last year and the year before.

See also: take

take to the cleaners

1. Take or cheat one out of all of one's money or possessions, as in Her divorce lawyer took him to the cleaners, or That broker has taken a number of clients to the cleaners. [Slang; early 1900s]

2. Drub, beat up, as in He didn't just push you-he took you to the cleaners. [Slang; early 1900s]

See also: cleaner, take

take someone to the cleaners

1. tv. to take all of someone’s money. The lawyers took the insurance company to the cleaners, but I still didn’t get enough to pay for my losses.

2. tv. to defeat or best someone. Look at the height they’ve got! They’ll take us to the cleaners!

See also: cleaner, take

take to the cleaners

Slang

To take all the money or possessions of, especially by outsmarting or swindling.

See also: cleaner, take