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neat1

Syllabification: (neat)
Pronunciation: /nēt/

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Definition of neat

adjective

  • 1(of a place or thing) arranged in an orderly, tidy way:the books had been stacked up in neat piles
  • (of a person) habitually tidy, well groomed, or well organized:her daughter was always neat and clean
  • having a pleasing shape or appearance; well formed or regular:Alan noted down the orders in his neat, precise script
  • informal very good or pleasant; excellent:I’ve been taking lessons in tracking from this really neat Indian guide
  • 2done with or demonstrating skill or efficiency:Howard’s neat, precise tackling
  • tending to disregard specifics for the sake of convenience; slick or facile:this neat division does not take into account a host of associated factors
  • 3(of liquid, especially liquor) not diluted or mixed with anything else:he drank neat Scotch

Origin:

late 15th century (in the sense 'clean, free from impurities'): from French net, from Latin nitidus 'shining', from nitere 'to shine'; related to net2. The sense 'bright' (now obsolete) was recorded in English in the late 16th century

neat in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of neat in the British & World English dictionary
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