spandy

Uncertain. Perhaps a variant of spander-new,^[1] or from spick-and-span,^[2] both attested from the 17th century, while spandy clean appears in 1838 (see quotations below). Both spander-new and spick-and-span come from earlier span-new, which is attested from c. 1300.^[1]

spandy (colloquial, archaic)

1. Neat, fine, very good.
   • 1869, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, page 126:

     My silk stockings and two pairs of spandy gloves are my comfort. You are a dear, to lend me yours, Jo

   • 1894, Lizzie Tristram, Nameless Stories for Supplemental Reading and General Exercises, page 14:

     O, poor dandy, once so spandy,
     Golden dancer on the lea!
     Older growing, white hair flowing,
     Bald head dandy now is he.

spandy (colloquial, archaic)

1. (often with clean) Entirely, nicely, very.
   • 1838, Timo. Titterwell , “Thoughts on seeing ghosts”, in Yankee Notions, page 115:

     I have heard of a ghost that always came in a new coat, smartly buttoned up, and a spandy clean dickey.

   • 1891, Sophie May, Little Prudy, page 111:

     O, I forgot, the woman was wicked and she made her little girls sit in the parlor, all dressed up spandy clean, and she made Cindrilla sit in the coal-hod.

   • 1921 January 1, Annie Hamilton Donnell, “The Tilley Celebration”, in The Sunday School Times, page 4:

     “It means always celebrating New Year with new things – every single Tilley person.”
     “Spandy new,” offered Jeffery, helpfully. “The newest ever.”