The phrase “plates clean” typically means that someone has finished eating their meal, and their plate is empty or nearly empty. It’s a common way to express that someone has enjoyed their food and has eaten all of it. Here are a few sentences using this phrase:
- “The lasagna was so delicious that everyone at the table licked their plates clean.”
- “After the barbecue, we had no leftovers because everyone cleaned their plates.”
- “The kids usually don’t like vegetables, but tonight they ate them all and left their plates clean.”
- “She prepared a fantastic meal, and we couldn’t help but scrape our plates clean.”
In these sentences, “cleaning their plates” means that the individuals enjoyed the food and left no leftovers or very little food behind on their plates. It’s often seen as a compliment to the cook or the restaurant.