English

Alternative forms

• clenly (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈklɛnli/

Adjective

cleanly ‎(comparative cleanlier or more cleanly, superlative cleanliest or most cleanly)

1. being habitually clean, practising good hygiene
   • 1653, Izaak Walton, The Compleat Angler

     I'll now lead you to an honest ale-house, where we shall find a cleanly room, lavender in the windows, and twenty ballads stuck about the wall.

   • Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World

     There were some flat slabs of rock in the centre, with an excellent well close by, and there we sat in cleanly comfort while we made our first plans for the invasion of this new country.

2. (obsolete) Cleansing; fitted to remove moisture; dirt, etc.
   • Prior

     With cleanly powder dry their hair.

3. (obsolete) adroit; dexterous; artful
   • Spenser

     Through his fine handling and his cleanly play.

Derived terms

• cleanlily
• cleanliness
• uncleanly

Antonyms

• uncleanly
• dirty

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English clenly, clenli, clenliche, from Old English clǣnlīċe ‎(“cleanly”), equivalent to clean +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈkliːnli/

Adverb

cleanly ‎(comparative cleanlier or more cleanly, superlative cleanliest or most cleanly)

1. in a clean way
2. neatly

   He was very cleanly dressed. — Dickens.

3. not causing a mess or unnecessary damage

   We agreed to break off our relationship cleanly.

   Fortunately, the bullet passed cleanly through your shoulder.

4. innocently; without stain

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

5. adroitly; dexterously

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Middleton to this entry?)

Translations