clear out

British  

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)

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noun

1. the act or an instance of clearing out

clear out Idioms  

1. 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.

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

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

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Example Sentences

In many forests, fire can clear out built up dead material, return nutrients to the soil, and help ecosystems reset.

From Science Daily

Analysts expect management will tout advances the company has made in clearing out old inventory and fixing relationships with key wholesale partners.

From Barron's

These structures are thought to be shaped by planets, especially large ones that clear out paths as they orbit.

From Science Daily

Publishers and broadcasters that didn’t sign the policy lost regular press access to the headquarters building and had to clear out their workspaces.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Bruins are also expected to have tight end Hudson Habermehl back after he was cleared out of concussion protocol.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clean out
• dispose of
• get rid of