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kempt

[ kempt ]

adjective

  1. neatly or tidily kept:

    a kempt little cottage.

  2. combed, as hair.


kempt

/ kɛmpt /

adjective

  1. (of hair) tidy; combed See also unkempt


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Word History and Origins

Origin of kempt1

First recorded before 1050; 1925–30 kempt fordef 1; Middle English kempte, kembyd; Old English cemd-, past participle of cemban “to comb”; comb, unkempt

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Word History and Origins

Origin of kempt1

C20: back formation from unkempt; originally past participle of dialect kemb to comb

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Example Sentences

So many objects were in transition, most of them greasy or dirty or oddly shaped and otherwise unsuited to the clean, well kempt confines of the house.

The waiting room is ill-kempt, but inside its institutional blue and white walls, there is a surprising sense of tranquility.

Irvine Kempt I cannot imagine was as keen a fighter as the rest, for he was rather a dignified gentleman with fine manners.

He could now see that his father's clothes were mud-stained and torn, that his long white hair was ill-kempt.

Bylandt's brigade gave way in confusion, but Kempt's and Pack's stood firm in their places.

An ill-kempt, unwieldy man dressed in the uniform of an officer was seated on a stone bench and scowled as the two appeared.

Then, when my hair was kempt with an old Felting comb, almost toothless, I felt refreshed and hungrier than ever.

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Kempisken