Dutchschoon schip maken
Meaning: To make a thorough reform of an organization by removing bad practices or undesirable people.
Literally: To make clean ship
Example: “De nieuwe directeur maakte schoon schip en ontsloeg het halve bestuur.” — The new director cleaned house and fired half the board.
English equivalent: To clean house
Equivalents in other languages
English: clean house
Origin: From ships: cleaning a ship from top to bottom, scrubbing the decks and clearing everything away, as Stoett explains. Figuratively it means a thorough clear-out of people or practices, and also paying off all one's debts. Stoett quotes it from newspapers of 1914, and finds an older sense in a pamphlet of 1600, haer schip schoon te maecken, clearing oneself of blame.
More Dutch idioms
- niet op zijn mond gevallen zijn To be outspoken and forthright; to speak one's mind without hesitation.
- tussen neus en lippen door To say something in passing or casually, without emphasis or drawing attention to it.
- op eigen benen staan To be independent and self-sufficient; to support oneself without relying on others.
- van lotje getikt To be crazy or eccentric; to be not quite sane.
- in de wind slaan To deliberately ignore or disregard something.
- niet veel soeps Unimpressive or mediocre; not worth much.
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