transcription, транскрипция: [ ni:t ]
( neater, neatest)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A neat place, thing, or person is tidy and smart, and has everything in the correct place.
She undressed and put her wet clothes in a neat pile in the corner.
...a girl in a neat grey flannel suit...
Everything was neat and tidy and gleamingly clean.
ADJ : usu ADJ n
• neat‧ly
He folded his paper neatly and sipped his coffee...
At the door was a neatly dressed, dignified man.
= tidily
ADV : ADV with v
• neat‧ness
The grounds were a perfect balance between neatness and natural wildness.
= tidiness
N-UNCOUNT
2.
Someone who is neat keeps their home or possessions tidy, with everything in the correct place.
‘That’s not like Alf,’ he said, ‘leaving papers muddled like that. He’s always so neat.’
= tidy
≠ untidy
ADJ
• neat‧ly
He had maybe a thousand tapes, all neatly labelled and catalogued.
= tidily
ADV : ADV with v
• neat‧ness
...a paragon of neatness, efficiency and reliability.
= tidiness
N-UNCOUNT
3.
A neat object, part of the body, or shape is quite small and has a smooth outline.
...a faded woman with neat features.
...neat handwriting.
ADJ : usu ADJ n
• neat‧ly
She was a small woman, slender and neatly made.
ADV : ADV -ed
4.
A neat movement or action is done accurately and skilfully, with no unnecessary movements.
A neat move between Black and Keane left Nigel Clough in the clear, but his shot skimmed wide of the far post.
≠ clumsy
ADJ : usu ADJ n
• neat‧ly
He watched her peel and dissect a pear neatly, no mess, no sticky fingers.
≠ clumsily
ADV : ADV with v
5.
A neat way of organizing, achieving, explaining, or expressing something is clever and convenient.
It had been such a neat, clever plan...
Neat solutions are not easily found to these issues...
= nice
ADJ
• neat‧ly
Real people do not fit neatly into these categories...
= nicely
ADV : ADV with v
• neat‧ness
He knew full well he had been outflanked, and he appreciated the neatness of it.
N-UNCOUNT
6.
If you say that something is neat , you mean that it is very good. ( AM INFORMAL )
‘Oh, those new apartments are really neat,’ the girl babbled on...
It’ll be neat to have a father and son playing on the same team...
= great, cool
ADJ [ approval ]
7.
When someone drinks strong alcohol neat , they do not add a weaker liquid such as water to it. ( mainly BRIT; in AM, use straight )
He poured himself a brandy and swallowed it neat...
He took a mouthful of neat whisky, and coughed.
ADJ : v n ADJ , ADJ n