Tidy
/ˈtaɪdi/
Definitions
3 meaningsArranged neatly and in good order; free from mess.
/ˈtaɪdi/
Arranged neatly and in order.
The library shelves were tidy.
💡 Simply: Imagine your room after you clean it up! When things are neatly in their places and not messy, they're tidy. Like when you put all your toys away in their boxes.
👶 For kids: When something is tidy, it means everything is in its place and not messy!
More Examples
She kept a tidy desk.
Make sure your room is tidy before you go to bed.
How It's Used
"Her house is always spotlessly tidy."
"A tidy workspace promotes productivity."
To put things in order; to make neat and tidy.
/ˈtaɪdi/
To make something neat and in order.
He tidied up the living room.
💡 Simply: Imagine you have a big pile of toys and then you put them all away so your room looks nice and clean. That's tidying! Like putting all the books back on the shelf.
👶 For kids: When you tidy, you put things away to make them neat!
More Examples
I'll tidy my desk before leaving.
She tidied the kitchen after dinner.
How It's Used
"She tidied her room every Saturday."
"The office staff tidied their desks before the end of the day."
To remove unwanted or unnecessary elements to improve order or clarity.
/ˈtaɪdi/
To remove unnecessary or unwanted things.
She tidied up the report before submitting it.
💡 Simply: Imagine you have a long story, and you take out some parts that don't really matter to make it shorter and better. That's tidying, too!
👶 For kids: When you tidy, you take away the parts you don't need.
More Examples
The company tidied up its debts.
The editor tidied up the essay's introduction.
How It's Used
"He tidied up his investments to reduce risk."
"The editor tidied up the manuscript, removing unnecessary text."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
tidy sum
A substantial amount of money.
"He inherited a tidy sum from his grandmother."
From the Middle English word "tidi," meaning "timely" or "seasonable," possibly related to "time." Its meaning evolved to encompass order and neatness.
The word's original meaning related to the appropriate time or season, evolving to include notions of neatness and order over centuries.
Memory tip
Think of your favorite clean room or a well-organized desk.