tidy: [13] Tidy originally meant ‘timely, seasonable’ (it was a derivative of tide, in the now superannuated sense ‘time, season’). It early on evolved metaphorically to ‘goodlooking’, and hence ‘good’, but the modern sense ‘neat’ did not emerge until the 18th century. Titivate [19] may have been based on tidy. => tide, titivate
tidy (v.)
"to make neat, set in order," 1821, from tidy (adj.). Related: Tidied; tidying.
tidy (adj.)
mid-13c., "in good condition, healthy," probably originally "in season, timely, opportune, excellent" (though this sense is not attested until mid-14c.), from tide (n.) in the sense of "season, time" + -y (2). Of persons, "of neat and orderly habits," from 1706. Similar formation in Old High German zitig, German zeitig, Dutch tijdig, Danish tidig "timely," Old English tidlic "temporal," also "timely, seasonable."
雙語例句
1. I'll do your garden, I'll keep that tidy for you.
我會幫你弄弄花園，幫你保持它的整潔。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Except for the remarkably tidy kitchen, the place was a mess.
除了廚房特別干凈外，這地方一片狼藉。
來自柯林斯例句
3. "Make the punishment fit the crime." How neat and tidy it sounded.
“罪罰相當”，這聽起來多么簡潔。
來自柯林斯例句
4. The large log basket can be used to tidy toys away.