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

Merriam-Webster now defines it simply as a “sauce made from the thickened and seasoned juices of cooked meat,” a tidy description for something that shows up in about a thousand guises on American tables.

Read more on Salon

The first Stanford was made of real students, who defy tidy put-downs of “kids these days.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Some survivors among these “fallen angels” have bounced by multiples since then, earning tidy profits for more patient investors.

Read more on Barron's

Councils would take down the flags in locations where lights will be installed and people could put them back up in the new year, "fresh, tidy and in good condition", he added.

Read more on BBC

But she had awoken in the dark and could not get back to sleep, and so had decided to tidy that sorry little nursery, one last time.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• orderly 
• sleek 
• snug 
• well-kept