English Explanatory Dictionary

make a clean breast

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

Often followed by of: to be honest about something; to confess.

Pronunciation

/ˈmeɪk ə ˈkliːn bɹɛst/ /ˈmeɪk ə ˈklin bɹɛst/ En-au-make a clean breast.ogg

Word forms

make a clean breast makes a clean breast making a clean breast made a clean breast

Etymology

From the notion that secrets are figuratively hidden in the heart which is contained in the breast (“chest”), and that admitting them will cause the heart to become clean and pure.

Synonyms

acknowledge admit assent avow beknow come clean concede confess fess fess up front up make a clean breast own own up shrive sing spill one's guts spill the beans step forward talk tell all unbosom

Related words

get off one's chest

← make a career of
← make a career out of
← make a case
← make a case for
← make a cat laugh

make a dash for it →
make a day of it →
make a decision →
make a dent →
make a difference →

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

Back to search All on M Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary