# make a clean breast

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈmeɪk ə ˈkliːn bɹɛst/

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

## Etymology
From the notion that secrets are figuratively hidden in the heart which is contained in the breast (“chest”), and that admitting them will cause the heart to become clean and pure.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/make-a-clean-breast