neaten etymology

Etymology:

  • From Middle English nete, from Old English ne (not) + te (too)

Meaning:

  • Not too, not very much, not excessively, not particularly

Origin:

The word neat is a combination of two Old English words:

  • ne (not), which is related to the Latin ne, meaning "not"
  • te (too), which is related to the German zu, meaning "too"

The original meaning of neat was "not too much" or "not excessively". Over time, the word has come to mean "not very much" or "not particularly".

Neat is also related to the Old English word natan, meaning "to deny". This suggests that neat may have originally meant "not allowed" or "forbidden".

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