tidy

[tahy-dee]

adjective

tidier, tidiest 

1. neat, orderly, or trim, as in appearance or dress.

   a tidy room;

   a tidy person.

   Antonyms: sloppy, messy

2. clearly organized and systematic.

   a tidy mind;

   a tidy way of working.

3. tolerably good; acceptable.

   They worked out a tidy arrangement agreeable to all.

4. fairly large; considerable.

   a tidy sum.

verb (used with or without object)

tidied, tidying 

1. to make tidy or neat (often followed byup ).

noun

plural

tidies 

1. any of various articles for keeping things tidy, as a box having small drawers and compartments.

2. an antimacassar.

tidy

/ ˈtaɪdɪ /

adjective

1. characterized by or indicating neatness and order

2. informal,  considerable

   a tidy sum of money

verb

1. to put (things) in order; neaten

noun

1. 1. a small container in which odds and ends are kept

   2. a container with holes in the bottom, kept in the sink to retain rubbish that might clog the plug hole

2. an ornamental protective covering for the back or arms of a chair

Other Word Forms

• tidily adverb
• tidiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tidy¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English tidi, tidy “seasonable,” hence “good”; cognate with Dutch tijdig; equivalent to tide ¹ + -y ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of tidy¹

C13 (in the sense: timely, seasonable, excellent): from _tide ¹ + _-y ¹ ; related to Dutch tijdig timely

Example Sentences

That assumed contradiction mirrored Suede’s own sensibility, which resisted tidy prescriptions of what working-class representation should look like.

From Los Angeles Times

To tidy up some financial business, we recently engaged in some online banking.

From Salon

That left nine needed from six balls but Sarah Glenn, who earlier took a tidy 1-18, edged the hat-trick ball for four and drove the winning runs to end 10 not out.

From BBC

A few things to tidy up, with a mind on those painful final losses to New Zealand, but these are minor script tweaks, not a full rewrite.

From BBC

"Luckily there was the guys who do the graves and tidy up in the cemetery they were about and they came along and lifted it for me."

From BBC

Related Words

• orderly 
• sleek 
• snug 
• well-kept