clear out v.
1. to take all an opponent’s money, to ruin someone financially.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Eng. Spy I 241: A regular plant was to be made, by some of his myrmidions, to clear me out, by first letting me win a few thousands, when they were to pounce upon me, double the stakes, and finish me off. | |
| ‘Lag’s Lament’ (trans. of an untitled cant poem) in (1829) IV 265: A-coming avay from Wauxhall von night, / I cleared out a muzzy covey quite. | |
| London Assurance in London Assurance and other Victorian Comedies (2001) Act I: He might have good time to get cleared out at hazard or at whist. | |
| Pendennis II 50: The luck turned from that minute [...] came away cleared out, leaving that infernal check behind me. | |
| Ticket-Of-Leave Man Act IV: Nay, it sha’n’t be said Ginger Bill ever cleared a chap out. | |
| ‘’Arry at the Royal Evening Fête’ in Punch 28 July 38/2: They pocket our bobs — / (Cleared me out to a tanner). | |
| ‘’Arry on the ’Oliday Season’ in Punch 16 Aug. 74/3: I fear I should come back cleared out, if my luck didn’t land me a pot. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 21 Nov. 1/8: After the traditional palavering, [the three-card trick man] found a dupe and cleared him out. | |
| ‘Odd or Even?’ Sporting Times 26 Sept. 1/3: ’Twas like a pantomime / Just to see the tricks luck played with some, cleared out without a dime. | |
| Grits 310: Am almost fuckin skint [...] The whizz an tha cleared me out. |
2. to rob.
| Bulletin (Sydney) 2 Aug. 10/2: A young man with a complaint and a shattered hat exploded into a police office at Brisbane one night last week, and grasped the officer in charge by the front button, and fixed him with his baleful eye, as he explained how someone had just floored him by a blow from behind and cleared him out. | |
| ‘The Protean Policeman’ Sporting Times 26 Nov. 1/3: Some ‘nuts’ from Pincher’s Alley, out for trade, / Were just holding up a toff, and clearing his ‘skyrockets’ out. |