clean up verb5 •To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy.Clean up your room. •To make something less corrupt or unseemly. •To make a large profit; to win by a large margin, or to win a large amount, especially in gambling. Also clean house.Man, he sure cleaned up last night at the blackjack table.The investors cleaned up when the stock hit the roof last year. •(informal) To become clean, handsome, smart in appearance, e.g. for a special occasion, especially when it is out of character to be seen as such.He sure cleans up nice. •To intervene in a fight between two players at low health and easily kill both of them or the winner. formscleaned up · cleaning up · cleans up