make a clean breast of it
Meaning: To admit and explain some wrongdoing; to confess something.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Whereas make a clean breast of it concerns a wrongdoing, get something off one's chest refers more generally to one's troubles, worries, or concerns. The expression suggests that guilt is kept in one's breast (heart) and that by revealing one's guilt, one cleans one's breast.
More idioms — Daily Life
- make a long story short — To summarize; to tell only the main points.
- make ends meet — To manage financially; to have enough money for one's basic needs.
- make heads or tails of something — To understand something.
- make or break — To be the deciding factor in whether something succeeds or fails.
- make something from scratch — To make something by putting together the separate basic components, rather than using a…
- make the grade — To meet standards; to be satisfactory.
More English idioms
- make tracks — To leave, usually quickly.
- mark time — To wait out one's time by doing the minimum and without progressing.
- method to one's madness — Explanation; forethought or logic.
- midas touch — The ability to make money or to be successful at everything one becomes involved in.
- mind one's own business — To not inquire about, become involved in, or interfere with other people's affairs.
- miss the boat — To miss an opportunity because one is too late.
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