v.
Pronunciation: ' hau ̇ s- ˌ kl ē n
Function: verb
Etymology: back-formation from housecleaning
Date: 1863
intransitive verb
1 : to clean a house and its furniture
2 : to get rid of unwanted or undesirable items or people
transitive verb
1 : to clean the surfaces and furnishings of
2 : to improve or reform by ridding of undesirable people or practices
– house · clean · ing noun