adjective (neater, neatest)
1 tidy and in order; carefully done or arranged:
a neat desk * neat handwriting * neat rows of books * She was wearing a neat black suit. * They sat in her neat and tidy kitchen.
2 (of people) liking to keep things tidy and in order; looking tidy or doing things in a tidy way:
Try and be neater! * He had a neat methodical mind.
3 small, with a pleasing shape or appearance:
her neat figure * The puppies' ears should be neat and in proportion to the head.
4 simple but clever:
a neat explanation / idea / trick * a neat solution to the problem * People don't often fit into neat categories.
5 (AmE, informal) good; excellent:
It's a really neat movie. * We had a great time-it was pretty neat.
6 (BrE) (AmE straight) (especially of alcoholic drinks) not mixed with water or anything else:
neat whisky * The weedkiller was applied to the lawn neat.
neatly adverb:
neatly folded clothes * The box fitted neatly into the drawer. * She summarized her plan very neatly.
neatness noun [U]
