Idiom meaning, usage examples, facts
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CLEAN SLATE [WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN]
a new beginning, usually achieved by removing any record of previous bad deeds (1) or debts (2)
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1. The man had done some terrible things in the past, but he moved to a new town and changed his name. He was trying to make a new life with a clean slate.
2. If you pay me what you owe me, you’ll have wiped the slate clean. Synonym: turn over a new leaf. The expression originates from the idea of a slate, the forerunner to the blackboard, which can be wiped clean to allow for new writing. |
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