Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Neat?

\Neat\, n. sing. & pl. [AS. ne['a]t; akin to OHG. n?z, Icel. naut, Sw. n["o]t, Dan. n["o]d, and to AS. ne['o]tan to make use of, G. geniessen, Goth. niutan to have a share in, have joy of, Lith. nauda use, profit.] (Zo["o]l.) Cattle of the genus {Bos}, as distinguished from horses, sheep, and goats; an animal of the genus {Bos}; as, a neat's tongue; a neat's foot. --Chaucer. Wherein the herds[men] were keeping of their neat. --Spenser. The steer, the heifer, and the calf Are all called neat. --Shak. A neat and a sheep of his own. --Tusser. {Neat's-foot}, an oil obtained by boiling the feet of neat cattle. It is used to render leather soft and pliable.
\Neat\, a. [See {neat}, n.] Of or pertaining to the genus {Bos}, or to cattle of that genus; as, neat cattle.
\Neat\, a. [Compar. {Neater}; superl. {Neatest}.] [OE. nett, F. nett, fr. L. nitidus, fr. nitere to shine. Cf. {Nitid}, {Net}, a., {Natty}.] 1. Free from that which soils, defiles, or disorders; clean; cleanly; tidy. If you were to see her, you would wonder what poor body it was that was so surprisingly neat and clean. --Law. 2. Free from what is unbecoming, inappropriate, or tawdry; simple and becoming; pleasing with simplicity; tasteful; chaste; as, a neat style; a neat dress. 3. Free from admixture or adulteration; good of its kind; as, neat brandy. ``Our old wine neat.'' --Chapman. 4. Excellent in character, skill, or performance, etc.; nice; finished; adroit; as, a neat design; a neat thief. 5. With all deductions or allowances made; net. Note: [In this sense usually written {net}. See {Net}, a., 3.] {neat line} (Civil Engin.), a line to which work is to be built or formed. {Neat work}, work built or formed to neat lines. Syn: Nice; pure; cleanly; tidy; trim; spruce.