Cleanly, a. [Compar. Cleanlier; superl. Cleanliest.]
Etymology: [From Clean.]
1. Habitually clean; pure; innocent. "Cleanly joys." Glanvill. Some plain but cleanly country maid. Dryden. Displays her cleanly platter on the board. Goldsmith.
2. Cleansing; fitted to remove moisture; dirt, etc. [Obs.] "With cleanly powder dry their hair." Prior.
3. Adroit; skillful; dexterous; artful. [Obs.] Through his fine handling and his cleanly play. Spenser.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Cleanly, adv.
1. In a clean manner; neatly. He was very cleanly dressed. Dickens.
2. Innocently; without stain. Shak.
3. Adroitly; dexterously. Middleton.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for cleanly; he lists it under neat.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.