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cleanly. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
cleanly, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
cleanly in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
cleanly you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology 1
From Middle English clenly, clenliche, clanly, from Old English clǣnlīċ (“cleanly, pure, excellent”), equivalent to clean + -ly.
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Adjective
cleanly (comparative cleanlier or more cleanly, superlative cleanliest or most cleanly)
- 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.
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.
- (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.
- (obsolete) Adroit; dexterous; artful.
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Translations
Etymology 2
From Middle English clenly, clenli, clenliche, from Old English clǣnlīċe (“cleanly”), equivalent to clean + -ly.
Pronunciation
Adverb
cleanly (comparative cleanlier or more cleanly, superlative cleanliest or most cleanly)
- In a clean way, neatly.
- Not causing a mess or unnecessary damage.
We agreed to break off our relationship cleanly.
Fortunately, the bullet passed cleanly through your shoulder.
- 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
- Adroitly; dexterously
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