spic-and-span

spic-and-span
adjective
1. conspicuously new
-

shiny brand-new shoes

-

a spick-and-span novelty

• Syn: ↑brand-new, ↑bran-new, ↑spick-and-span
• Similar to: ↑new
• Derivationally related forms: ↑brand-newness (for: ↑brand-new)
2. completely neat and clean
-

the apartment was immaculate

-

in her immaculate white uniform

-

a spick-and-span kitchen

-

their spic red-visored caps

• Syn: ↑immaculate, ↑speckless, ↑spick-and-span, ↑spic, ↑spick, ↑spotless
• Similar to: ↑clean
• Derivationally related forms: ↑spotlessness (for: ↑spotless), ↑immaculateness (for: ↑immaculate)

* * *

variant of spick-and-span

* * *

spic-and-span «SPIHK uhn SPAN», adjective.
= spick-and-span: (Cf. ↑spick-and-span) »

... handsome men and beautiful women, with their spic-and-span, smiling children (Edmund Wilson).

* * *

adj. variant spelling of spick-and-span

* * *

(or spick-and-span (chiefly US) also chiefly Brit spick and span or spic and span) /ˌspıkənˈspæn/ adj
: very clean and neat

He keeps the house spic-and-span.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Spic and Span — is a major U.S. brand of all purpose household cleanser, invented by housewives Elizabeth Bet MacDonald and Naomi Stenglein in Saginaw, Michigan in 1933. The women experimented until they came up with a formula that included equal parts of ground …   Wikipedia

  • spic and span — ↑spic and span * * * ˌspic and ˈspan idiom = ↑spick and span ↑spick Main entry: ↑spicidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • spic-and-span — 1660s, from spick and span new (1570s), lit. new as a recently made spike and chip of wood, from spick nail (see SPIKE (Cf. spike) (n.1)) + span new very new (c.1300), from O.N. span nyr, from spann chip + nyr new. Imitation of …   Etymology dictionary

  • spic-and-span — (spĭk ən spănʹ) adj. Variant of spick and span. * * * …   Universalium

  • spic and span — very clean, very neat The house was spic and span when we returned from our holiday …   Idioms and examples

  • spic-and-span — adjective see spick and span …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • spic-and-span — (Roget s Thesaurus II) adjective See spick and span …   English dictionary for students

  • spick-and-span — adjective 1. conspicuously new shiny brand new shoes a spick and span novelty • Syn: ↑brand new, ↑bran new, ↑spic and span • Similar to: ↑new …   Useful english dictionary

  • spick and span — (also spic and span) adjective neat, clean, and well looked after. Origin C16 (in the sense brand new ): from spick and span new, emphatic extension of dialect span new, from ON spán nýr, from spánn chip + nýr new ; spick influenced by Du.… …   English new terms dictionary

  • spick and span — spic and span [ˌspık ən ˈspæn] adj [not before noun] informal a room, house etc that is spick and span is completely clean and tidy …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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