clear the decks

verb

Roget 673: prepare; get ready, make ready; make preparations, settle preliminaries, get up, sound the note of preparation.    set in order, put in order etc. (arrange) 60; forecast etc. (plan) 626; prepare the ground, plow the ground, dress the ground; till the soil, cultivate the soil; predispose, sow the seed, lay a train, dig a mine; lay the groundwork, fix the groundwork, lay the basis, fix the basis, lay the foundations, fix the foundations; dig the foundations, erect the scaffolding; lay the first stone etc. (begin) 66.    roughhew; cut out work; block out, hammer out; lick into shape etc. (form) 240.    elaborate, mature, ripen, mellow, season, bring to maturity; nurture etc. (aid) 707; hatch, cook, brew; temper, anneal, smelt; barbecue; infumate^†; maturate.    equip, arm, man; fit-out, fit up; furnish, rig, dress, garnish, betrim^†, accouter, array, fettle, fledge; dress up, furbish up, brush up, vamp up; refurbish; sharpen one's tools, trim one's foils, set, prime, attune; whet the knife, whet the sword; wind up, screw up; adjust etc. (fit) 27; put in trim, put in train, put in gear, put in working order, put in tune, put in a groove for, put in harness; pack.    train etc. (teach) 537; inure etc. (habituate) 613; breed; prepare for &c.; rehearse; make provision for; take steps, take measures, take precautions; provide, provide against; beat up for recruits; open the door to etc. (facilitate) 705.    set one's house in order, make all snug; clear the decks, clear for action; close one's ranks; shuffle the cards.    prepare oneself; serve an apprenticeship etc. (learn) 539; lay oneself out for, get into harness, gird up one's loins, buckle on one's armor, reculer pour mieux sauter [Fr.], prime and load, shoulder arms, get the steam up, put the horses to.    guard against, make sure against; forearm, make sure, prepare for the evil day, have a rod in pickle, provide against a rainy day, feather one's nest; lay in provisions etc. 637; make investments; keep on foot.    be prepared, be ready etc. adj.; hold oneself in readiness, keep one's powder dry; lie in wait for etc. (expect) 507; anticipate etc. (foresee) 510; principiis obstare [Lat.]; veniente occurrere morbo [Lat.].    ... show more

Moby thesaurus: abstract, arrange, ballast, blow, blow out, break bulk, break out ballast, cast off, cast out, chuck, clean out, clean up, clear, clear away, clear for action, clear off, clear out, clear up, consider every angle, cure, cut out, defecate, deplete, deploy, deport, dispose of, drain, dress, eject, elide, eliminate, empty, empty out, eradicate, evacuate, exhaust, exile, expatriate, expel, fix, fix up, forearm, get quit of, get ready, get rid of, get shut of, groom, guard against, hedge, leave out nothing, liquidate, make arrangements, make preparations, make ready, make sure, make sure against, marshal, mobilize, neaten, outlaw, overlook no possibility, pick out, plan, play safe, police, police up, prearrange, prep, prepare, prepare for, pretreat, process, provide, provide a hedge, provide against, provide for, purge, put in shape, put in trim, ready, ready up, reef down, remove, root out, root up, scour out, settle preliminaries, shift ballast, shoot ballast, shorten sail, spruce, spruce up, straighten up, strike off, strike out, sweep out, take measures, take precautions, take steps, tan, throw over, throw overboard, tidy, tidy up, treat, trig up, trim, trim ship, trim up, try out, unclog, unfoul, vent, void, weed out, wing out ballast ... show more.

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