1plain1 (pleɪn
)
Definitions
adjective
- flat or smooth; level
- not complicated; clear ⇒
the plain truth
- not difficult; simple or easy ⇒
a plain task
- honest or straightforward
- lowly, esp in social rank or education
- without adornment or show ⇒
a plain coat
- (of fabric) without pattern or of simple untwilled weave
- not attractive
- not mixed; simple ⇒
plain vodka
- knitting of or done in plain
noun
- a level or almost level tract of country, esp an extensive treeless region
- a simple stitch in knitting made by putting the right needle into a loop on the left needle, passing the wool round the right needle, and pulling it through the loop, thus forming a new loop
- (in billiards)
- the unmarked white ball, as distinguished from the spot balls
- the player using this ball
- (in Ireland) short for plain porter, a light porter ⇒
two pints of plain, please
adverb
- (intensifier) ⇒
just plain tired
See also
plainsAlternative Forms
ˈplainly adverb ˈplainness nounWord Origin
C13: from Old French: simple, from Latin plānus level, distinct, clearSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
unadorned,
simple,
basic,
severe,
pure,
bare,
modest,
stark,
restrained,
muted,
discreet,
austere,
spartan,
unfussy,
unvarnished,
unembellished unornamented unpatterned
bare-bones,
=
clear,
obvious,
patent,
evident,
apparent,
visible,
distinct,
understandable,
manifest,
transparent,
overt,
unmistakable,
lucid,
unambiguous,
comprehensible,
legible,
=
straightforward,
open,
direct,
frank,
bold,
blunt,
sincere,
outspoken,
honest,
downright,
candid,
forthright,
upfront,
artless,
ingenuous,
guileless,
=
ugly,
ordinary,
unattractive,
homely,
not striking
unlovely,
unprepossessing,
not beautiful no oil painting
ill-favoured,
unalluring
fugly,
=
ordinary,
homely,
common,
simple,
modest,
everyday,
commonplace,
lowly,
unaffected,
unpretentious,
frugal,
workaday,
2plain2 (pleɪn)
Definitions
verb
- a dialect or poetic word for complain
Word Origin
C14 pleignen, from Old French plaindre to lament, from Latin plangere to beatTranslations
- British English:
plain
A plain object, surface, or fabric is entirely in one colour and has no pattern, design, or writing on it.A plain carpet makes a room look bigger.pleɪn ADJECTIVE A plain carpet makes a room look bigger.
- Spanish:
sencillo
adj sencilla
- French:
simple
adj
- German:
schlicht
adj
- Chinese: 简单的 adj
- Arabic: بَسِيط adj
- Portuguese: plano adj plana
- Russian: плоский adj плоская
- Croatian: običan adj obična
- Czech: plochý adj
- Danish: ensartet adj
- Dutch: duidelijk adj
- Finnish: tasainen adj
- Greek: απέριττος adj απέριττη
- Italian: semplice adj
- Japanese: 平坦な no_posp
- Korean: 평평한 adj
- Norwegian: jevn adj jevnt
- Polish: pr
- Brazilian Portuguese: plano adj plana
- European Spanish:
sencillo
adj sencilla
- Swedish: enkel adj enkelt
- Thai: ราบเรียบ adj
- Turkish: düz adj
- Vietnamese: bằng phẳng adj
- British English:
plain
A plain is a large, flat area of land with very few trees on it.Once there were 70 million buffalo on the plains.pleɪn NOUN Once there were 70 million buffalo on the plains.
- Spanish:
llanura
nf
- French:
plaine
nf
- German:
Ebene
nf
- Chinese: 平原 n
- Arabic: سَهْل n
- Portuguese: planície nf
- Russian: равнина nf
- Croatian: ravnica nf
- Czech: rovina nf
- Danish: slette nutr
- Dutch: vlakte nf
- Finnish: tasanko n
- Greek: πεδιάδα nf
- Italian: pianura nf
- Japanese: 平原 n
- Korean: 평야 n
- Norwegian: slette nf
- Polish: równina nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: planície nf
- European Spanish:
llanura
nf
- Swedish: rätstickning nutr
- Thai: ที่ราบ n
- Turkish: ova n
- Vietnamese: đồng bằng n
Usage examples
The police station in Castleton occupied a plain , purpose-built building behind the town's only supermarket.
, LOST SUMMER (2002)The incomplete work is included and here his lively character and intelligence are plain , as is his charm.
New Scientist (2004)It would give him a chance to talk with some of us plain folks.
Globe and Mail (2003)To achieve a co-ordinated look, Next offers shower curtains and matching roller blinds in a mosaic design, and plain or motif pattern.
Glasgow Herald (2001)The man is wrong,' Llewellyn said, offended, `just plain wrong.
, SHARPE'S TRAFALGAR (2001)