neaten

English

Etymology

From neat +‎ -en.

Verb

neaten (third-person singular simple present neatens, present participle neatening, simple past and past participle neatened)

1. (transitive) To make (someone or something) neat; to arrange (people or things) in an orderly, tidy way; to tidy.

   She made a frantic attempt to neaten her hair.

   • 2023 June 27, Clea Skopeliti, “‘The future is bleak’: how AI concerns are shaping graduate’s career choices”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:

     He is doubtful that images made by artificial intelligence will replace the art exhibited in galleries, he worries that commercial projects previously requiring a team of artists may in the future need only one to work with AI and neaten up the final product.

2. (intransitive) To engage in activity that arranges someone or something in an orderly, tidy way.

   Don't mind me if I neaten while you talk.

Translations

to make tidy

• Bulgarian: спретвам (spretvam), подреждам (bg) (podreždam)
• Czech: upravit (cs) pf, uhladit pf, zúhlednit pf
• Maori: rau(w)iri (of a garden or piece of land), whakaraupapa (of order or sequence), whakapaipai

References

• The Oxford English Dictionary

Anagrams

• Etnean, nantee