clear out

verb

1. informal,  (intr) to go away: often used imperatively

2. (tr) to remove and sort the contents of (a room, container, etc)

3. slang,  (tr) to leave (someone) with no money

4. slang,  (tr) to exhaust (stocks, goods, etc) completely

5. (tr) to get rid of (employees, players, etc, that are no longer required)

noun

1. the act or an instance of clearing out

Idioms and Phrases

Also, . Remove the contents, take something or someone away, as in I'll clear out this closet so you can use it , or Let me clear away these things , or Please clear off the table . The first phrase dates from the mid-1600s, the second from the mid-1700s, and the third from the early 1700s. Sometimes away and out are omitted, as in Let me clear these things , or Please clear the table . Also see clean up , def. 1.

Depart suddenly or run away, as in We cleared out before our landlord could stop us . [Early 1800s]

Drive or force out, as in The police cleared out the restaurant in no time . [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

“The metal’s been overextended and long in the tooth for weeks, so some profit-taking or even a shakeout like this can help to clear out the tourists before a potential next leg higher,” said Koos.

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Previously, shoppers used resale websites to clear out unwanted goods, selling their old clothes and using the cash to make new purchases in the primary market.

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In the U.S., sales dropped 16%, partly as a result of inventory adjustments as sellers cleared out stock.

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Wednesday to turn in their existing press badges and clear out their workspaces at the building, though there is an opportunity to seek an extension.

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IDF troops early Saturday continued to surround Gaza City, where Israel has worked to clear out the civilian population with a major offensive under way.

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Related Words

• clean out 
• dispose of 
• get rid of