clean breast

1. see make a clean breast of.

Example Sentences

"He has got to make a clean breast. I usually find that if you make your apologies, it defuses the issue. Can't have it hanging on," said the lawmaker.

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“I do,” Lawson said, adding, “I want to make a clean breast of it.”

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But the federal prosecutors in New York’s Southern District require the full monty: a clean breast of all crimes ever committed, abetted or witnessed.

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It is customary for coöperating witnesses, at the start of their testimony, to make a clean breast of things, so they cannot get caught out on subsequent questioning by the defense.

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Unfortunately, rather than make a clean breast of it all, new FBI Director Christopher Wray behaves as though the bureau doesn’t need to answer to the American people’s elected representatives in Congress.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal