neat
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Unmixed with water. "Two half goes of gin, one NEAT, the other cold," meaning one as drawn, the other diluted with cold water. The Americans use the word "straight" instead of NEAT: "I’ll take mine straight."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “neat” mean?
Unmixed with water. "Two half goes of gin, one NEAT, the other cold," meaning one as drawn, the other diluted with cold water. The Americans use the word "straight" instead of NEAT: "I’ll take mine straight."
Is “neat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.