Neat

orderly, tidy, spruce; see clean 1, neat 1.

Well-proportioned

shapely, clean, well-designed, streamlined, slim, slender, shipshape, delicate, fit, comely, well-formed, symmetrical, well-made, clean-cut, well-balanced, graceful, well-molded, harmonious, beautiful, classical, compact, smart; see also handsome 2.

Antonyms disordered*, shapeless*, straggly.

To cut off excess

prune, shave, lop, crop, clip, shear, pare down, even up, mow, snip, plane, slice off, scrape, whittle down, carve down; see also cut 1.

Antonyms increase*, lengthen*, extend. *

To adorn

ornament, embellish, beautify, betinsel, deck, beribbon, spangle, gussy up*, emblazon, embroider; see also decorate.

*To defeat

whip, lick, trounce; see defeat 1, 3.

To refuse to take a stand

hedge, temporize, equivocate, dodge, vacillate, remain neutral, stand between, compromise, sit on a fence*, shilly-shally*, hem and haw*; see also hesitate, pause.

Antonyms oppose*, antagonize*, be a partisan of.

To prepare for sailing

ballast, rig, outfit, hoist the sails, touch her up*; see also provide 1, sail 1, trim ship.