straighten (something) out

1. to arrange or organize something that is in disorder.

It took her a while to straighten out her father's accounts.

When her husband died, there were problems with his will, and it took her a year to straighten them all out.

2. to end uncertainty or confusion about something.

I'm sorry if our letter was confusing, but I'll straighten that out now.

Sometimes I'll feel there's something I need to straighten out because no one's sure what to expect.

• the cart before the horse
• the casting couch
• the center of attention
• the change of life
• the chattering classes
• the child from hell
• the [child/house/mother, etc.] from hell
• the chosen few
• the coast is clear
• the cock of the walk
• the comings and goings
• the common touch
• the conventional wisdom
• the corridors of power
• the cream of the crop
• the curtain comes down on
• the curtain comes down on something
• the curtain falls
• the curtain falls on
• the curtain falls on something
• the cut and thrust of
• the cut and thrust of something
• the darkest hour is just before the dawn.
• the day of reckoning
• the dead hand of