I. adjective
or spic-and-span |spikən|span, -k ə ŋ|-, -paa(ə)n ; also spick-and-span-new | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷
Etymology: spic-and-span alteration of spick-and-span, short for spick-and-span-new, from obsolete English spick spike, nail (alteration of English spike ) (I) + English and + span-new
1. : quite new : fresh , brand-new
a spick-and-span novelty
2. : like new : spotlessly clean : spruce
his cottage was spick-and-span — J.B.Clayton
a spick-and-span figure in his Panama hat and neat clothes — G.K.Chesterton
automobile owner who likes to keep his car spick-and-span — New Yorker
Synonyms: see neat
II. adverb
or spic-and-span “
: in a spick-and-span manner
clean the kitchen spick-and-span