Spick-and-span — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˌspik-ən(d)-ˈspan/

Meaning & Definition of Spick-and-span

Spick-and-span (adjective)

  1. fresh, brand-new
  2. spotlessly clean

Spick-and-span (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. free from dirt or stain

    "let's make the house spick-and-span for our visitors"

    similar: antiseptic, chaste, clean, fair, immaculate, pristine, spotless, squeaky-clean, stainless, unsoiled, unstained, unsullied
    related: pure, taintless, undefiled, unpolluted, untainted, wholesome, cleanly, germfree, hygienic, sanitary, sterile, abluted, bleached, cleansed, purified, scrubbed, washed, whitened, milky, snowy, white, flawless, unblemished, bright, shiny, sparkling
    opposite: besmirched, dirty, filthy, foul, grubby, smirched, soiled, spotted, stained, sullied, unclean, uncleaned
    near: dingy, greasy, grimy, mucky, muddy, unwashed, defiled, germy, polluted, tainted, unsterile, unsterilized, blackened, discolored

  2. recently made and never used before

    "a spick-and-span waffle iron that our host was obviously using for the first time"

    similar: brand-new, new, unused
    related: clean, fresh, mint, pristine, unspoiled, untouched, newfangled, new-fashioned, natural, raw, unprocessed, untreated, unworked, virgin
    opposite: hand-me-down, secondhand, used
    near: dirty, soiled, spoiled, stale, aged, beat-up, old, shabby, shopworn, well-handled, worn

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Spick-and-span

The most common words with a similar meaning to Spick-and-span:

antiseptic, chaste, clean, fair, immaculate, pristine, spotless, squeaky-clean, stainless, unsoiled, unstained, unsullied, brand-new, new, unused

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Spick-and-span

Words with the opposite meaning of Spick-and-span:

besmirched, dirty, filthy, foul, grubby, smirched, soiled, spotted, stained, sullied, unclean, uncleaned, hand-me-down, secondhand, used

Related Words for Spick-and-span

pure, taintless, undefiled, unpolluted, untainted, wholesome, cleanly, germfree, hygienic, sanitary, sterile, abluted, bleached, cleansed, purified, scrubbed, washed, whitened, milky, snowy, white, flawless, unblemished, bright, shiny, sparkling, fresh, mint, unspoiled, untouched

Near Antonyms of Spick-and-span

dingy, greasy, grimy, mucky, muddy, unwashed, defiled, germy, polluted, tainted, unsterile, unsterilized, blackened, discolored, spoiled, stale, aged, beat-up, old, shabby, shopworn, well-handled, worn

Origin & Etymology of Spick-and-span

short for spick-and-span-new, from obsolete English spick spike + English and + span-new

First known use: 1665

Frequently Asked Questions about Spick-and-span

What does "Spick-and-span" mean?

"Spick-and-span" means fresh, brand-new. As an adjective, it is defined as: fresh, brand-new. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Spick-and-span"?

Other words for "Spick-and-span" include antiseptic, chaste, clean, fair, immaculate, pristine, spotless and squeaky-clean. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Spick-and-span" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Spick-and-span"?

There are 53 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Spick-and-span". Common alternatives include antiseptic, chaste, clean, fair, immaculate, pristine, spotless, squeaky-clean, stainless and unsoiled.

What is the opposite of "Spick-and-span"?

Antonyms of "Spick-and-span" include besmirched, dirty, filthy, foul, grubby, smirched, soiled and spotted. Near antonyms include dingy, greasy, grimy and mucky.

How do you use "Spick-and-span" in a sentence?

Examples of "Spick-and-span" in a sentence: "let's make the house spick-and-span for our visitors"; "a spick-and-span waffle iron that our host was obviously using for the first time".

Is "Spick-and-span" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Spick-and-span" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Spick-and-span"?

"Spick-and-span" is pronounced /ˌspik-ən(d)-ˈspan/.

What is the origin of the word "Spick-and-span"?

"Spick-and-span" comes from short for spick-and-span-new, from obsolete English spick spike + English and + span-new. First known use: 1665.