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Timely vs Tidy - What's the difference?

timely | tidy |

As an adjective timely

is done at the proper time.

As an adverb timely

is (archaic) in good time; early, quickly.

As a proper noun tidy is

.

timely

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Done at the proper time.
  • Happening or appearing at the proper time.
  • * Milton
    • The timely dew of sleep.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 20 , author=Jamie Lillywhite , title=Tottenham 1 - 0 Rubin Kazan , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The athletic Walker, one of Tottenham's more effective attacking elements with his raids from right-back, made a timely intervention after Rose had been dispossessed and even Aaron Lennon was needed to provide an interception in the danger zone to foil another attempt by the Russians.}}
  • (obsolete) Keeping time or measure.
    • (Spenser)

    Synonyms

    * (done at the proper time ): well-timed * (happening or appearing at the proper time ): opportune, seasonable

    Antonyms

    * (done at the proper time ): badly timed, ill-timed * (happening or appearing at the proper time ): inopportune, unseasonable

    Derived terms

    * mistimely * overtimely * timelily * timeliness * timely-parted * untimely

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (archaic) In good time; early, quickly.
  • * 2000 , (George RR Martin), A Storm of Swords , Bantam 2011, p. 587:
    • ‘If I had been born more timely , he said, Rhaegar would have married me instead of Elia, and it would all have come out different.’
  • (obsolete) At the right time; seasonably.
  • * 1646 , (Thomas Browne), Pseudodoxia Epidemica :
    • And this we shall more readily perform, if we timely survey our knowledge, impartially singling out those encroachments, which junior compliance and popular credulity hath admitted.

    See also

    * seasonably

    tidy

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (obsolete) In good time; at the right time; timely; seasonable; opportune; favourable; fit; suitable.
  • * Tusser
    • if weather be fair and tidy
  • (lb) Brave; smart; skillful; fine; good.
  • Appropriate or suitable as regards occasion, circumstances, arrangement, or order.
  • Arranged neatly and in order.
    • Keep Britain tidy .
  • Not messy; neat and controlled.
  • Satisfactory; comfortable.
  • (informal) Generous, considerable.
    • The scheme made a tidy profit.

    Synonyms

    * neat * orderly * presentable * spick and span

    Antonyms

    * messy * untidy

    Derived terms

    * hair-tidy

    Related terms

    * tidily * tidiness

    Verb

  • To make tidy; to neaten.

    • Noun

    (tidies)
  • A tabletop container for pens and stationery.
    • a desk tidy
  • A cover, often of tatting, drawn work, or other ornamental work, for the back of a chair, the arms of a sofa, etc.
  • (dated) A child's pinafore.
    • (Wright)
  • The wren.
    • (Drayton)

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (Wales) Expression of positive agreement, usually in reply to a question.

    • Usage notes

    Often used by people from South Wales to end a sentence or as a reply to a question meaning "Great" or "Fine", for example "I'm going to the shops for ten fags" may get the reply "Tidy." 1000 English basic words