IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishclean house
Meaning: To get rid of unwanted people or practices in an organization.
Example: “The new owner cleaned house and replaced the whole management.”
Origin: The household chore used as a figure for reform. The phrase is American, common from the late 19th century in politics.
Equivalents in other languages
Dutch: schoon schip maken Literally: To make clean ship
More English idioms
- take matters into one's own hands To act oneself because others have failed to.
- fight fire with fire To respond to an attack with the same methods.
- all in one's head Imagined rather than real, or a matter of attitude.
- stink to high heaven To smell terrible; also, to seem very dishonest.
- on a silver platter Given to someone without any effort on their part.
- dig one's heels in To refuse stubbornly to change one's mind.
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