Neat
Neat (nēt) , noun, singular and plural
[Anglo-Saxon neát; akin to Old High German nōz, Icelandic naut, Swedish not, Danish nod, and to Anglo-Saxon neótan to make use of, German geniessen, Gothic niutan to have a share in, have joy of, Lithuanian nauda use, profit.]
(Zoology) 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.
The steer, the heifer, and the calf
Are all called neat.
A neat and a sheep of his own.
Collocations (1)
Neat's-foot , an oil obtained by boiling the feet of neat cattle. It is used to render leather soft and pliable.
Neat , adjective
[See neat, n.]
Of or pertaining to the genus Bos, or to cattle of that genus; as, neat cattle.
Neat , adjective
[Old English nett, French nett, from Latin nitidus, from nitere to shine. Compare 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.
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.
(Chemistry) Free from admixture or adulteration; good of its kind; as, neat brandy; to drink one's vodka neat.
(Chemistry) Pure; undiluted; as, dissolved in neat acetone.
Our old wine neat.
4.
Excellent in character, skill, or performance, etc.; nice; finished; adroit; as, a neat design; a neat thief.
[In this sense usually written net. See Net, a., 3.]
5.
With all deductions or allowances made; net. [In this sense usually written net. See Net, a., 3.]
Collocations (2)
neat line (Civil Engineering) , a line to which work is to be built or formed.
Neat work , work built or formed to neat lines.