"Being taken cleaners" is an idiomatic expression that refers to being subjected to a financial, emotional, or legal loss due to someone else's actions or schemes. It is a phrase commonly used in informal contexts and is derived from the image of a person being completely cleaned out, as if all their possessions or resources were stripped away.
In a financial context, this expression is often used when someone has been swindled or cheated out of a significant amount of money, leaving them in a dire financial situation. It implies that not only have they lost money, but they have lost it in a way that leaves them feeling completely devastated or devastated. For example, "John invested his life savings in a fraudulent scheme and ended up being taken cleaners."
Emotionally, the phrase can be used to describe a situation where someone has been deeply hurt or deceived in a relationship or friendship. It suggests that the individual has been completely taken advantage of, leaving them feeling vulnerable and emotionally drained. For instance, "Sara trusted her best friend with her deepest secrets, but her friend revealed them all to others, leaving her feeling truly taken cleaners."
Furthermore, this phrase can also be used in a legal context to describe someone being unfairly or excessively penalized. It conveys the idea that the person has been dealt with harshly or mercilessly, leaving them with little or nothing. For instance, "The new regulations hit small businesses hard, many of them were taken cleaners and had to close their doors."
Overall, "being taken cleaners" denotes a situation where someone has been stripped of their resources, whether it be financial, emotional, or legal, leaving them in a state of extreme loss or vulnerability.
