clean up

verb

1. to rid (something) of dirt, filth, or other impurities

2. to make (someone or something) orderly or presentable

3. (tr) to rid (a place) of undesirable people or conditions

   the campaign against vice had cleaned up the city

4. informal,  (intr) to make a great profit

noun

1. 1. the process of cleaning up or eliminating something

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cleanup campaign

2. informal,  a great profit

Idioms and Phrases

Also, clean out . Make clean or orderly, as in She cleaned up the cellar after the flood , or Dad said he cleaned out the garage . [First half of 1800s]

Also, wash up . Wash or tidy oneself, as in Do I have time to clean up before dinner?

Settle or dispose of, as in He cleaned up all the bills that had arrived during his vacation .

Bring to a certain standard of order or morality, as in This script won't do; we'll have to clean up the language . Applied to personal behavior, it also is put as clean up one's act , as in He'll have to clean up his act and obey the rules . [c. 1900]

Succeed, especially financially, as in We had fantastic luck at the races and really cleaned up . [ Slang ; first half of 1800s]

Also, clean up on . Defeat or vanquish, kill, as in We're cleaning up all the other teams , or With enough ammunition we could clean up on this pocket of snipers . [ Slang ; mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

In the weeks following the storm, Rand and other private citizens mobilized teams of residents whose neighborhoods had been destroyed to clean up debris, remove fallen trees and rebuild shattered homes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Monaco said she often cleans up the debris left behind from the day before, and showed a reporter photos of rubber bullets, empty tear gas casements and spent pepper balls that she’d cleaned up.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Coach Aaron Glenn, a former defensive back with the franchise, vowed to clean up the team’s play when he was hired after last season.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The IMF chief said China should spend more on cleaning up its property sector and providing a backstop for households, and “much less” on subsidizing its factories.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Nasdaq has promised to clean up its act and on Sept. 3 asked the Securities and Exchange Commission for permission to tighten its listing standards, especially for small Chinese stocks.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• alter 
• amend 
• compare 
• cut 
• develop 
• improve 
• modify 
• overhaul 
• reconsider 
• reexamine 
• reorganize 
• revamp 
• review 
• rework 
• rewrite 
• scrutinize 
• tighten 
• update 
• upgrade