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3. bleed someone white

bleed someone white

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bleed someone white

Extort money, take someone's last penny. For example, That contractor would have bled the department white, but fortunately he was apprehended in time . Presumably this term alludes to losing so much blood that one turns pale (and perhaps also to the idea that money is the life blood of commerce). [First half of 1900s]

See also: bleed, white

bleed someone white

and bleed someone dry

tv. to take all of someone’s money; to extort money from someone. (see also bleed.) The creeps tried to bleed me white. These taxes are going to bleed me dry!

See also: bleed, white