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

"If the government insists we need a management clear out – we can help with that," said one person close to the process.

From BBC

So Rodgers has a whole lot of work to do in clearing out the myriad of players in his squad that are not good enough while bringing in new blood.

From BBC

Starting last week, federal agents have been clearing out homeless encampments in the nation's capital, making Washington DC the latest city to levy penalties on people for sleeping rough.

From BBC

While California’s forests are adapted for frequent, low-intensity fires that clear out the forest floors and promote regeneration, high-intensity flames can decimate ecosystems so much so that they may never recover.

From Los Angeles Times

It is understood they were employed by the council to clear out the building.

From BBC

Related Words

• clean out 
• dispose of 
• get rid of