make a clean breast of it
make a clean breast of it
To confess one's misdeeds or wrongdoings. I felt so guilty about cheating on the test that I had to make a clean breast of it to my teacher.
See also: breast, clean, make, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
make a clean breast of something (to someone)
Fig. to admit something to someone. You should make a clean breast of the matter to someone. You'll feel better if you make a clean breast of the incident.
See also: breast, clean, make, of
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
make a clean breast of
Confess fully, as in Caught shoplifting, the girls decided to make a clean breast of it to their parents. This expression, first recorded in 1752, uses clean breast in the sense of baring of one's heart, the breast long considered the seat of private or secret feelings.
See also: breast, clean, make, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
make a clean breast of
To confess fully.
See also: breast, clean, make, of
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
- make a clean breast
- make a clean breast of
- make a clean breast of (something)
- make a clean breast of something
- pay the price
- pay the price, to
- pay the price/penalty
- penalty
- pay the penalty
- tribulation