neat

(as) neat as a pin

Tidy; clean; in good or neat order. I expected Danny's student apartment to be a total mess, but it was as neat as a pin when we arrived! I expect you to leave this kitchen neat as a pin when you finish for the night, understand?
See also: neat, pin

(as) neat as ninepence

Very tidy, neat, and well-organized; in good order. After my kids made me breakfast in bed, I expected the kitchen to be a mess. But was I ever surprised to find the whole place as neat as ninepence when I came downstairs! James is so meticulous with his office, always keeping it neat as ninepence.
See also: neat, ninepence

neat as a bandbox

Impeccably dressed; stylish. A bandbox is a container that was used to store accessories like collars and ruffs. Dave, I just love that suit and tie on you! You look neat as a bandbox!
See also: neat

neat as a new pin

Very neat, tidy, and clean. I expected Danny's student apartment to be a total mess, but it was neat as a new pin!
See also: neat, new, pin

tie (something) up in a neat little bow

To take care of, finish, or resolve something fully and completely, especially in a way that is satisfying or pleasing. OK, yes, I like those corny movies that tie everything up in a neat little bow at the end. I hate when there are loose ends! We need every detail tied up in a neat little bow before we make our pitch to the board, got it?
See also: bow, little, neat, tie, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

*neat as a pin

Cliché neat and orderly. (*Also: as ~.) Brad is such a good housekeeper; his apartment is always as neat as a pin. Joanne certainly is well-organized. Her desk is neat as a pin.
See also: neat, pin
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

neat

1. mod. great; cool; fine. That was not a very neat thing to do.
2. exclam. Wow! (Usually Neat!) Neat! I’m glad you came.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

neat as a pin

Trim, orderly. This term dates from the late eighteenth century and appeared in print in several works by John Wolcot (who used the pseudonym Peter Pindar), as “neat as a new pin.”
See also: neat, pin
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • (as) neat as a pin
  • neat as a pin
  • neat as a new pin
  • clean as a new pin
  • be (as) clean as a new pin
  • (as) clean as a new pin
  • (as) bright as a new pin
  • bright as a new pin
  • (as) neat as ninepence
  • ninepence
References in periodicals archive
Besides its antiperspirant line, Neat Feat recently launched a diaper cream that comes from a preventive angle.
Neat Feat is all about simple solutions
Also pg'-g[?]G, therefore pg'-g [?] H [?] G ={0}, this implies pg'- g = 0 or pg'= g If we assume G is neat in A, then we see that at least 0 [?] K(G,A), because if we put H = 0, then px = g for x [?] A and g [?] G implies that there exists y [?] G such that, py=g, that is K(G,A) is not empty.
On The X- Envelopes
Founded in 2002, The Neat Company is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pa.
Neat Reports Increased Retail Availability
Other Neat Solutions disposable items are bibs, diaper-changing pads, multi-use absorbent pads, floor mats and meal kits.
Neat Solutions Inc
Neat 3D's images and animations of St Pancras featured on last year's six-part BBC documentary, The pounds 800m Railway Station.
Designers of '3D Eurostar' swallowed up by MWH; Consultancy needed in-house specialists
The set of objects presented here may not convey happiness--a wire cage remains a wire cage, no matter how seamlessly it has been integrated into surroundings possessing a somewhat hopeful tone--but Hatoum refuses to let us off the hook with something so neat as rage.
Mona Hatoum: Alexander and Bonin
He joined the other members of NEAT, a component of the Educator Astronaut Program, at the Kennedy Space Center in June to participate in a workshop on the fundamentals of science education.
Bringing space to the classroom
* Hairpin loss on stage (a quick change from neat classical to tumbling tresses) can mean madness, as in Giselle, or overwhelming despondency, as in Serenade.
To toss or not to toss: Allegra Kent remembers a hairdo disaster onstage
Comet NEAT was the first to rise to prominence in the evening sky.
Tales of three comets
Through NEAT, a nationwide team is working to identify common challenges in distance health care education and then develop and test academic content.
The NEAT project
The win was completed for Bury when a neat move was rounded off by an equally neat goal from Dave Nugent to wrap up a comfortable 3-0 win for the visitors.
Football: Rochdale 0 Bury 3
The new DV-RW200 is a DVD and VCR recorder in one neat, single unit, allowing the simultaneous recording of programs on both DVD and videotape--even if they're showing at the same time.
Sharp DV-RW200
Irritatingly you click on the flagpole not the text to get an image--and after wondering what to do next you realize that the sections are repeated in a neat box to one side.
Sutherland Lyall dispenses Yuletide cheer from his bulging cybersack
In Raleigh, N.C., sixth- through eighth-graders at Martin Middle School learn about neat stuff--Geographic Information Systems.
Bringing the outside into the classroom: GIS makes connections for students. (Computer literature: books on the latest software programs for technology directors and IT staff)