CLEAN OUT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does clean out mean? 

• CLEAN OUT (verb)
  The verb CLEAN OUT has 3 senses:

1. empty completely

2. force out

3. deprive completely of money or goods

  Familiarity information: CLEAN OUT used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLEAN OUT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Empty completely

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

clean out; clear out

Context example:

We cleaned out all the drawers

Hypernyms (to "clean out" is one way to...):

empty (make void or empty of contents)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "clean out"):

clinker (clear out the cinders and clinker from)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Force out

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

The new boss cleaned out the lazy workers

Hypernyms (to "clean out" is one way to...):

can; dismiss; displace; fire; force out; give notice; give the axe; give the sack; sack; send away; terminate (terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Deprive completely of money or goods

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

The robbers cleaned us out in a couple of hours

Hypernyms (to "clean out" is one way to...):

deprive; divest; strip (take away possessions from someone)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

 Context examples 

The sister lay back stone-dead in her chair, while the two brothers sat on each side of her laughing, shouting, and singing, the senses stricken clean out of them.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Ten to one, if I were so foolhardy as to cut the HISPANIOLA from her anchor, I and the coracle would be knocked clean out of the water.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

It was catchin' those Indians that put you clean out of their heads, else they would have been back to the camp for you as sure as fate and gathered you in.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then three or four western bad men aspired to clean out the town, were riddled like pepper-boxes for their pains, and public interest turned to other idols.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Gray told me nothing, and I asked him nothing; and what's more, I would see you and him and this whole island blown clean out of the water into blazes first.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

That formidable seafaring man with one leg has at last gone clean out of my life; but I dare say he met his old Negress, and perhaps still lives in comfort with her and Captain Flint.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)