The idiom "are taken to the cleaners" means to be cheated, fleeced, or financially exploited. The spelling of this phrase can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first word "are" is pronounced /ɑːr/, with a long "ah" sound followed by a rolled "r." The rest of the phrase is pronounced /ˈteɪkən tə ðə ˈkliːnəz/, with a stressed "ay" sound in "taken," and a soft "th" sound in "the" and "cleaners."
"Are taken to the cleaners" is an idiomatic expression that is commonly used in informal contexts and in colloquial speech. This phrase is typically utilized to describe a situation where someone has endured a significant financial loss or has been deceived or outsmarted, resulting in a substantial amount of money being taken from them, leaving them financially disadvantaged or bankrupt. It suggests that the person has been completely taken advantage of or exploited, often by someone with superior knowledge or cunning.
The term "cleaners" refers metaphorically to someone who takes away or cleans out another person's wealth or possessions, leaving them "cleaned out" or without any resources. It emphasizes the thoroughness of the process, indicating that the person has been completely stripped of their financial assets.
For example, if someone invests their life savings in a fraudulent investment scheme and subsequently loses all their money, including any property or valuable assets, one could say that they have been "taken to the cleaners." Similarly, if someone becomes involved in a deceptive business deal that results in them being swindled out of a significant sum of money, they could also be said to have been "taken to the cleaners."
Overall, the phrase "are taken to the cleaners" portrays a situation where an individual has experienced a substantial financial loss or has been outsmarted or deceived, resulting in their complete financial depletion.