cleanly

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English clenly, clenliche, clanly, from Old English clǣnlīċ (“cleanly, pure, excellent”), equivalent to clean +‎ -ly.

Alternative forms

• clenly (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈklɛnli/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -ɛnli

Adjective

cleanly (comparative cleanlier or more cleanly, superlative cleanliest or most cleanly)

1. Being habitually clean, practising good hygiene.
   • 1653, Izaak Walton, The Compleat Angler:

     I'll now lead you to an honest ale-house, where we shall find a cleanly room, lavender in the windows, and twenty ballads stuck about the wall.

   • 1765, Oliver Goldsmith, The Traveller, or, A Prospect of Society:

     While his lov'd partner boastful of her hoard,
     Displays the cleanly platter on the board;

   • 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, “‘X’”, in The Lost World , London, New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:

     There were some flat slabs of rock in the centre, with an excellent well close by, and there we sat in cleanly comfort while we made our first plans for the invasion of this new country.

2. (obsolete) Cleansing; fitted to remove moisture; dirt, etc.
   • 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: Jacob Tonson , and John Barber , →OCLC:

     With cleanly powder dry their hair.

3. (obsolete) Adroit; dexterous; artful.
   • 1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Prosopopoia. Or Mother Hubberds Tale.”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. , London: William Ponsonbie, , →OCLC:

     Through his fine handling and his cleanly play.

Antonyms

• uncleanly
• dirty

Derived terms

• cleanlily
• cleanliness
• uncleanly

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English clenly, clenli, clenliche, from Old English clǣnlīċe (“cleanly”), equivalent to clean +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈkliːnli/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -iːnli

Adverb

cleanly (comparative cleanlier or more cleanly, superlative cleanliest or most cleanly)

1. In a clean way, neatly.
   • 1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, chapter 15, in The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, , published 1850, →OCLC:

     He was very cleanly dressed.

2. Not causing a mess or unnecessary damage.

   We agreed to break off our relationship cleanly.

   Fortunately, the bullet passed cleanly through your shoulder.

3. Innocently; without stain.
   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, ”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     liue cleanly, as a Nobleman should do

4. Adroitly; dexterously
   • c. 1616, Thomas Middleton, The Witch:

     The boy will do well certain : give him grace To have a quick hand and convey things cleanly

Translations

Anagrams

• lancely