Etymology

shipshape

ship·shape
S1H4I1P3S1H4A1P3E1

Today it means: Meticulously neat and tidy. Full definition →

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The story

From ship + shapen (“shaped; wrought with a definite shape”), later shortened to shape. The word is of nautical origin, based on the obligation of a sailor to keep his or her quarters arranged neatly and securely due to the limited space typically allotted to service members aboard ship, and against turbulence at sea.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.