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Clean House

What Does "Clean House" Mean?

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"Clean house" is an English idiom. It means 1. to thoroughly clean or tidy a place, or 2. to make sweeping changes in an organization, usually by removing people.

Examples in Sentences

Here are examples of the idiom "clean house" used in a sentence:
  • 1. Every spring, I like to clean house and get rid of things I don't need.
  • 2. After the company's poor performance, the new CEO decided to clean house and brought in a new team.
  • 2. The team hasn't been performing, so it's time to clean house and start fresh.
meaning for clean house

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Clean House" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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