Word
tidying
Phoneticstidy·ing
US/ˈtaɪdiɪŋ/
UK/tˈaɪdiɪŋ/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the act of putting things in their correct places and making a room look neat. You do this when you want to clear away mess.
n. the process of arranging items in an orderly fashion or clearing away clutter. Functions as a gerund noun describing the activity itself.
Examples
“The house needs a good tidying before the guests arrive.”
“After the children finished playing with their blocks, the afternoon tidying took much longer than expected.”
“While some find the repetitive nature of daily tidying to be a chore, others view it as a meditative practice that helps clear the mind.”
Examples
simple
“The house needs a good tidying before the guests arrive.”
contextual
“After the children finished playing with their blocks, the afternoon tidying took much longer than expected.”
complex
“While some find the repetitive nature of daily tidying to be a chore, others view it as a meditative practice that helps clear the mind.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “tidying” in context.
Verb
01. help tidy
“The children promised to help tidy the playroom after they finished.”
verb + verb
02. refuse to tidy
“He was grounded because he refused to tidy his desk.”
verb + verb
03. tidy away
“Please tidy away your toys so that nobody trips over them.”
verb + particle
04. tidy up
“We spent the whole afternoon tidying up the garden.”
verb + particle
Adjective
05. quickly tidy
“I'll quickly tidy the kitchen while you make the coffee.”
adv + verb
06. thoroughly tidy
“You need to thoroughly tidy your room before the guests arrive.”
adv + verb
Noun
07. tidy desk
“She likes to tidy her desk at the end of every workday.”
verb + noun
08. tidy room
“It took him nearly an hour to tidy his messy room.”
verb + noun
09. tidy away the dishes
“After dinner, we all helped to tidy away the dishes.”
10. tidy up the mess
“It's your responsibility to tidy up the mess you made in the lounge.”
Usage
Often used as a gerund to describe the activity; frequently follows verbs like 'need' or 'do'.
Real-World Examples
“For several months, someone —or something —had been apparently tidying up after the 75-year-old retiree.” “A mouse has been filmed secretly tidying up a man’s shed almost every night for two months.” “Engineers at Princeton have built a robot to help with that most essential household task: tidying up.” “It has gone viral, captured worldwide attention and been dubbed Welsh Tidy Mouse after being spotted on camera keeping a shed spick and span.” Etymology
Derived from the verb 'tidy', which comes from the Middle English word 'tidi' meaning 'timely' or 'excellent'. The sense shifted from 'happening at the right time' to 'neat' or 'orderly' in the 18th century. The suffix '-ing' creates the gerund form indicating the action.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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