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clean house

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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]

See also: clean, house

clean house

Slang

To eliminate or discard what is undesirable: The scandal forced the company to clean house.

See also: clean, house