Meaning of make a clean breast | Babel Free

Definitions

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

idiomatic

Examples

“He preſſed him earneſtly to make⟳ a clean⟳ breaſt, and tell⟳ him all he knew of [Colin Roy Campbell of] Glenure's murder⟳. To which Breck [i.e., Alan Breck Stewart] anſwered with an oath, that he had never ſeen Glenure dead or alive.”

“"Master," he said that day to me, "this must come⟳ to an end⟳. I must make⟳ a clean⟳ breast of it. This Nemo is leaving land⟳ and going up to the north. But I declare⟳ to you that I have⟳ had enough of the South Pole, and I will not follow⟳ him to the North."”

“'It is well, then, that we should be frank,' said the other. 'We both think⟳ more than we have⟳ said; let⟳ us make⟳ a clean⟳ breast. This masked figure⟳ that you saw⟳, did you recognise⟳ it?'”

“You know⟳ no doubt⟳ that most criminals at some time or other feel⟳ an irresistible need⟳ of confessing—of making a clean⟳ breast of it to somebody—to anybody.”

“I had lied to Paddock about him, and the whole thing looked desperately fishy. If I made a clean⟳ breast of it and told the police everything he had told me, they would simply laugh⟳ at me.”

“Instead, imagine⟳ that a software project manager approaches you and makes a clean⟳ breast of his uncertainty about your proposed project: "Look⟳, there are unknowns here, and we have⟳ catalogued the following eleven of them."”

CEFR level