(~er, ~est)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ place, thing, or person is tidy and smart, and has everything in the correct place.
She undressed and put her wet clothes in a ~ pile in the corner.
...a girl in a ~ grey flannel suit...
Everything was ~ and tidy and gleamingly clean.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
~ly
He folded his paper ~ly and sipped his coffee...
At the door was a ~ly dressed, dignified man.
= tidily
ADV: ADV with v
~ness
The grounds were a perfect balance between ~ness and natural wildness.
= tidiness
N-UNCOUNT
2.
Someone who is ~ 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 ~.’
= tidy
? untidy
ADJ
~ly
He had maybe a thousand tapes, all ~ly labelled and catalogued.
= tidily
ADV: ADV with v
~ness
...a paragon of ~ness, efficiency and reliability.
= tidiness
N-UNCOUNT
3.
A ~ object, part of the body, or shape is quite small and has a smooth outline.
...a faded woman with ~ features.
...~ handwriting.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
~ly
She was a small woman, slender and ~ly made.
ADV: ADV -ed
4.
A ~ movement or action is done accurately and skilfully, with no unnecessary movements.
A ~ 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
~ly
He watched her peel and dissect a pear ~ly, no mess, no sticky fingers.
? clumsily
ADV: ADV with v
5.
A ~ way of organizing, achieving, explaining, or expressing something is clever and convenient.
It had been such a ~, clever plan...
Neat solutions are not easily found to these issues...
= nice
ADJ
~ly
Real people do not fit ~ly into these categories...
= nicely
ADV: ADV with v
~ness
He knew full well he had been outflanked, and he appreciated the ~ness of it.
N-UNCOUNT
6.
If you say that something is ~ , you mean that it is very good. (AM INFORMAL)
‘Oh, those new apartments are really ~,’ the girl babbled on...
It’ll be ~ to have a father and son playing on the same team...
= great, cool
ADJ approval
7.
When someone drinks strong alcohol ~, 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 ~...
He took a mouthful of ~ whisky, and coughed.
ADJ: v n ADJ, ADJ n