get taken to the cleaners (by someone)
get taken to the cleaners (by someone)
1. To have a lot or all of one's money taken, swindled, or cheated from one (by someone). I got taken to the cleaners by the IRS after they found out I hadn't been declaring my freelance work on my tax returns. I don't mind you going to some poker tournament with your friends, just don't get taken to the cleaners or anything.
2. To be soundly defeated or bested; to lose by a wide margin. The young team's inexperience is showing on the field today, as they're getting positively taken to the cleaners by the veteran squad.
See also: cleaner, get, taken
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- be taken to the cleaners (by someone)
- cleaner
- figure of fun
- a figure of fun
- taken with
- taken with (someone or something)
- take aback, to
- be replaced by (someone or something)
- be replaced with (someone or something)
- replace