cleanly

American  

[klen-lee, kleen-lee] / ˈklɛn li, ˈklin li /

adjective

cleanlier, cleanliest

1. personally neat; careful to keep or make clean.

   The cat is by nature a cleanly animal.

2. habitually kept clean.

3. Obsolete. cleansing; making clean.

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adverb

1. in a clean manner.

cleanly British  

/ ˈklɛnlɪnɪs, ˈklɛnlɪlɪ /

adverb

1. in a fair manner

2. easily or smoothly

   the screw went into the wood cleanly

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adjective

1. habitually clean or neat

Other Word Forms

• cleanlily adverb
• cleanliness noun

Etymology

Origin of cleanly

before 900; Middle English clenlich ( e ), Old English clǣnlīc, equivalent to clǣne clean + -līc -ly

Example Sentences

Couple that with the group’s uncompromising punk rock attitude about their structure and message, and it’s easy to see why Irreversible Entanglements might not fit cleanly into everyone’s preconceived notions about “jazz.”

From Los Angeles Times

Each slice cuts cleanly, like something that has been thought through.

From Salon

The protein needed to switch cleanly between active and inactive states for the cell to survive.

From Science Daily

"Kelly goes up for a header, he's gone for the header cleanly. His feet have to land on the ground somewhere," he added on BBC Radio 5 Live.

From BBC

The partially toothless Jack Hughes, left alone on the left wing, beat Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington cleanly 1:41 into the extra period to set off a wild celebration for the Americans.

From Los Angeles Times