Jump to:

• spick-and-span
  spick-and-span

  adjective

  spotlessly clean and neat.
• spick and span
  spick and span

  Neat and clean, as in When Ruth has finished cleaning, the whole house is spick and span. This term combines two nouns that are now obsolete, spick, “a nail” or “spike,” and span, “a wooden chip.” In the 1500s a sailing ship was considered spick and span when every spike and chip was brand-new. The transfer to the current sense took place in the mid-1800s.

spick-and-span

American  

[spik-uhn-span] / ˈspɪk ənˈspæn /

adjective

1. spotlessly clean and neat.

   a spick-and-span kitchen.

2. perfectly new; fresh.

---

adverb

1. in a spick-and-span manner.

spick-and-span British  

/ ˈspɪkənˈspæn /

adjective

1. extremely neat and clean

2. new and fresh

---

spick and span Idioms  

1. Neat and clean, as in When Ruth has finished cleaning, the whole house is spick and span. This term combines two nouns that are now obsolete, spick, “a nail” or “spike,” and span, “a wooden chip.” In the 1500s a sailing ship was considered spick and span when every spike and chip was brand-new. The transfer to the current sense took place in the mid-1800s.

---

Etymology

Origin of spick-and-span

1570–80; short for spick-and-span-new, alliterative extension of span-new

Example Sentences

None of these adjustments would entail an overwhelming commitment to being spick-and-span, and will go a long way toward making you feel like the bed belongs to both of you and not just him.

From Slate • Jul. 27, 2020

According to the outlet, 55 percent of respondents — who had all reportedly visited the chain within the last six months — agreed that the establishment was consistently the most spick-and-span.

From Fox News • Oct. 2, 2019

The 95-year-old man in the red brick house at 33-18 89th Street in Jackson Heights, Queens, was known for keeping his yard spick-and-span, even tidying up rubbish on his neighbors’ stoops.

From New York Times • Aug. 22, 2018

Using the right lens cleaner is only half the battle—you’ve got to use it with the right cloth to really get things spick-and-span.

From Slate • May 8, 2018

“I suppose it would be profanation to eat anything in this spick-and-span bower, so as I’m tremendously hungry, I propose an adjournment,” he added presently.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Related Words

• clean
• clean and tidy