/ ˈtaɪdi; NAmE / adjective , verb , noun
■ adjective ( tidi·er , tidi·est )
1.
( especially BrE ) arranged neatly and with everything in order :
a tidy desk
She keeps her flat very tidy .
I like everything to be neat and tidy .
OPP untidy
2.
( especially BrE ) keeping things neat and in order :
I'm a tidy person.
tidy habits
OPP untidy
3.
[ only before noun ] ( informal ) a tidy amount of money is fairly large
SYN considerable :
It must have cost a tidy sum.
a tidy profit
► tidi·ly adverb :
The room was very tidily arranged.
► tidi·ness noun [ U ]
■ verb
( tidies , tidy·ing , tidied , tidied ) ~ (sth) (up) ( especially BrE ) to make sth look neat by putting things in the place where they belong :
[ v ]
I spent all morning cleaning and tidying.
When you cook, could you please tidy up after yourself.
[ vn ]
to tidy (up) a room
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PHRASAL VERBS
- tidy sth away
- tidy sth up
■ noun
( pl. -ies ) ( BrE ) (especially in compounds) a container for putting small objects in, in order to keep a place tidy :
a desk tidy
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from the noun tide + -y . The original meaning was timely, opportune ; it later had various senses expressing approval, usually of a person, including attractive , healthy , and skilful ; the sense orderly, neat dates from the early 18th cent.