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shipshape

shipshape

4.9
Neat and clean with everything in its place
  • adjective
  • /ˈʃɪpˌʃeɪp/
translation icon : en orden
  • After a thorough cleaning, the living room was finally shipshape and ready for guests.

And, and then by Monday, it's all shipshape.

Examples

  • After organizing all the materials, the workshop looked shipshape and ready for the next project.

  • The manager insisted that the office be kept shipshape to promote a productive work environment.

  • So both of ours don't look so shipshape, but they're guitars.

Synonyms

neat
vsshipshape
144 1.0

Clean and tidy with things in order

refers mainly to cleanliness and good order rather than careful workmanship
orderly
vsshipshape
55 2.4

Arranged in a tidy, organized way

focuses on general absence of disorder rather than strict methodical layout
tidy
vsshipshape
47 1.0

Having things in order with no mess

focuses on overall good order rather than only outward appearance
well-kept
vsshipshape
7 1.8

Neat and in good condition because someone looks after it

is about present cleanliness and order rather than long term maintenance
trim
vsshipshape
5 3.0

Neat and slim in shape or style

focuses on cleanliness and lack of disorder rather than slim style
uncluttered
vsshipshape
5 4.0

Free of extra things and distractions, simple and tidy

means general good order and cleanliness rather than only lacking clutter
neat and tidy
vsshipshape
4 1.4

Clean and well organized with no mess

implies general good order rather than stressing organized detail
1 9.3

Neat and in very good order

is the same idea but says good rather than perfect order

Antonyms

4 4.5

A place or thing that is untidy and not in order

Idioms

Neat and in very good order

How Neat

immaculate
36 5.9
shipshape
4.9
neat
144 1.0
tidy
47 1.0
messy
233 1.0

Surface Forms

shipshape positive

Morphology

shipshape = ship + shape (semi-transparent) = ship + shape

The word is clearly built from 'ship' + 'shape', but the modern meaning 'neat and in good order' is figurative rather than a fully literal compositional description.

Etymology

The word shipshape comes from old sailors' talk: the parts ship and shape meant a ship was in the right 'shape' or 'in good order' for sailing, with everything tidy and ready on deck. That's why shipshape now means neat, clean, and in good order.