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Webster 1913 Edition

Neat

Neat

(nēt)
,
Noun.
s
ing.
&
pl.
[AS.
neát
; akin to OHG.
nōz
, Icel.
naut
, Sw.
nöt
, Dan.
nöd
, and to AS.
neótan
to make use of, G.
geniessen
, Goth.
niutan
to have a share in, have joy of, Lith.
nauda
use, profit.]
(Zool.)
Cattle of the genus
Bos
, as distinguished from horses, sheep, and goats; an animal of the genus
Bos
;
as, a
neat’s
tongue; a
neat's
foot.
Chaucer.
Wherein the herds[men] were keeping of their
neat
.
Spenser.
The steer, the heifer, and the calf
Are all called
neat
.
Shakespeare
A
neat
and a sheep of his own.
Tusser.
Neat's-foot
,
an oil obtained by boiling the feet of neat cattle. It is used to render leather soft and pliable.

Neat

,
Adj.
[See
neat
,
Noun.
]
Of or pertaining to the genus
Bos
, or to cattle of that genus;
as,
neat
cattle
.

Neat

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Neater
;
sup
erl.
Neatest
.]
[OE.
nett
, F.
nett
, fr. L.
nitidus
, fr.
nitere
to shine. Cf.
Nitid
,
Net
,
Adj.
,
Natty
.]
1.
Free from that which soils, defiles, or disorders; clean; cleanly; tidy.
If you were to see her, you would wonder what poor body it was that was so surprisingly
neat
and clean.
Law.
2.
Free from what is unbecoming, inappropriate, or tawdry; simple and becoming; pleasing with simplicity; tasteful; chaste;
as, a
neat
style; a
neat
dress.
4.
Excellent in character, skill, or performance, etc.; nice; finished; adroit;
as, a
neat
design; a
neat
thief.
5.
With all deductions or allowances made; net.
[In this sense usually written
net
. See
Net
,
Adj.
, 3.]
neat line
(Civil Engin.)
,
a line to which work is to be built or formed.
–
Neat work
,
work built or formed to neat lines.
Syn. – Nice; pure; cleanly; tidy; trim; spruce.

Webster 1828 Edition

Neat

NEAT

,
Noun.
[Neat coincides with the root of need in elements, and if connected with it, the sense is a herd or collection, from crowding, pressing; but this is doubtful.]
1.
Cattle of the bovine genus, as bulls, oxen and cows. In America, this word is used in composition, as in neats tongue, neats foot oil, and tautologically in neat cattle.
2.
A single cow.

NEAT

,
Adj.
[L. to shine, to be clean, fair or fine; pure, to purify, to winnow.]
1.
Very clean; free from foul or extraneous matter; as neat clothes. The vessels are kept neat; the woman keeps her house very neat.
2.
Pure; free from impure words and phrases; as a neat style.
3.
Cleanly; preserving neatness; as a neat woman.
4.
Pure; unadulterated; as neat wine.
5.
Free from tawdry appendages and well adjusted; as a neat dress.
6.
Clear of the cask, case, bag, box, & c. ; as neat weight. It is usually written net or nett.

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