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Clean up One's Act

What Does "Clean up One's Act" Mean?

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"Clean up one's act" is an English idiom. It means "to improve one's behavior or performance."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "clean up one's act" used in a sentence:
  • If he doesn't clean up his act, he's going to lose his job.
  • She had to clean up her act after she almost failed out of school.
  • After multiple warnings, he realized he needed to clean up his act.
meaning for clean up one's act

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 up One's Act" 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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