cleaner

[ klee-ner ]
/ ˈkli nər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR cleaner ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who cleans, especially one whose regular occupation is cleaning offices, buildings, equipment, etc.
an apparatus or machine for cleaning, as a vacuum cleaner.
a preparation for use in cleaning, as a detergent or chemical bleach.
the owner or operator of a dry-cleaning establishment: The cleaner said he couldn't get the spot off my coat.
Usually cleaners. a dry-cleaning establishment: My suit is at the cleaners.

Idioms for cleaner

    take to the cleaners, Slang. to cause to lose all or a great deal of one's money or personal property, as through gambling or a bad investment: He got taken to the cleaners in the poker game last night.

Origin of cleaner

First recorded in 1425–75, cleaner is from the late Middle English word clener. See clean, -er1

OTHER WORDS FROM cleaner

pre·clean·er, noun

Words nearby cleaner

clean-limbed, clean-living, clean-shaven, clean-tech, cleanability, cleaner, cleaning, cleaning woman, cleanliness is next to godliness, cleanly, cleanout

Words related to take to the cleaners

extort, fleece, hoodwink, bilk, gouge, dupe, overcharge, deceive, victimize, defraud, con, rob, embezzle, circumvent, swindle, cheat, mislead, bamboozle, fool, trick

British Dictionary definitions for take to the cleaners

cleaner
/ (ˈkliːnə) /

noun

a person, device, chemical agent, etc, that removes dirt, as from clothes or carpets
(usually plural) a shop, etc that provides a dry-cleaning service
take a person to the cleaners informal to rob or defraud a person of all of his money

Idioms and Phrases with take to the cleaners

take to the cleaners
1

Take or cheat one out of all of one's money or possessions, as in Her divorce lawyer took him to the cleaners, or That broker has taken a number of clients to the cleaners. [Slang; early 1900s]

2

Drub, beat up, as in He didn't just push you—he took you to the cleaners. [Slang; early 1900s]