Definition of 'plane'

Word Frequency

plane

(pleɪn )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense planes , present participle planing , past tense, past participle planed

1. countable noun

A plane is a vehicle with wings and one or more engines, which can fly through the air.

He had plenty of time to catch his plane.

Her mother was killed in a plane crash.

...fighter planes.

Synonyms: aeroplane, aircraft, jet, airliner More Synonyms of plane

2. countable noun

A plane is a flat, level surface which may be sloping at a particular angle.

...a building with angled planes.

Synonyms: flat surface, the flat, horizontal, level surface More Synonyms of plane

3. singular noun

If a number of points are in the same plane, one line or one flat surface could pass through them all.

All the planets orbit the Sun in roughly the same plane, round its equator.

4. countable noun [adjective NOUN]

If you say that something is on a higher plane, you mean that it is more spiritual or less concerned with ordinary things.

[literary]

...life on a higher plane of existence.

We felt we were living life on several different planes.

Synonyms: level, position, stage, footing More Synonyms of plane

5. countable noun

A plane is a tool that has a flat bottom with a sharp blade in it. You move the plane over a piece of wood in order to remove thin pieces of its surface.

6. verb

If you plane a piece of wood, you make it smaller or smoother by using a plane.

She watches him plane the surface of a walnut board. [VERB noun]

Again I planed the surface flush. [VERB noun adjective]

Plane down means the same as plane.

The piece was reduced in size by planing down the four corners. [VERB PARTICLE noun (not pronoun)]

[Also VERB noun PARTICLE]

7. verb

If something such as a boat planes across water, it moves quickly across the water, just touching the surface.

All four of the boats planed across the Solent with the greatest of ease. [V across n]

[Also VERB]

Synonyms: skim, sail, skate, glide More Synonyms of plane

8. countable noun

A plane or a plane tree is a large tree with broad leaves which often grows in towns.

Phrasal verbs:

See plane down

More Synonyms of plane

Video: pronunciation of
plane

plane in British English 1

(pleɪn )

noun

1. mathematics

a flat surface in which a straight line joining any two of its points lies entirely on that surface

a flat or level surface

a level of existence, performance, attainment, etc

a. short for aeroplane

a wing or supporting surface of an aircraft or hydroplane

adjective

level or flat

6. mathematics

(of a curve, figure, etc) lying entirely in one plane

verb (intransitive)

to fly without moving wings or using engines; glide

(of a boat) to rise partly and skim over the water when moving at a certain speed

to travel by aeroplane

Derived forms

planeness (ˈplaneness)

noun

Word origin

C17: from Latin plānum level surface

Word Frequency

plane in British English 2

(pleɪn )

noun

a tool with an adjustable sharpened steel blade set obliquely in a wooden or iron body, for levelling or smoothing timber surfaces, cutting mouldings or grooves, etc

a flat tool, usually metal, for smoothing the surface of clay or plaster in a mould

verb (transitive)

to level, smooth, or cut (timber, wooden articles, etc) using a plane or similar tool

4. (often foll by off)

to remove using a plane

Word origin

C14: via Old French from Late Latin plāna plane, from plānāre to level

Word Frequency

plane in British English 3

(pleɪn )

noun

plane tree

Word Frequency

plane in American English 1

(pleɪn )

adjective

flat; level; even

2. Ancient Mathematics

lying on a surface that is a plane

of such surfaces

noun

a surface that wholly contains every straight line joining any two points lying in it

a flat, level, or even surface

a level of development, achievement, existence, etc.

airplane

any airfoil; esp., a wing of an airplane

SIMILAR WORDS: ˈlevel

Word origin

L planus: see plain1

Word Frequency

plane in American English 2

(pleɪn )

verb intransitiveWord forms: planed or ˈplaning

to soar or glide

to rise partly out of the water while in motion at high speed, as a hydroplane (sense 1) does

to travel by airplane

Word origin

Fr planer < OFr plan, level surface (term used in falconry, in reference to position of bird's wings while soaring) < LL planare, to make level: see plane3

Word Frequency

plane in American English 3

(pleɪn )

noun

a carpenter's tool for shaving a wood surface in order to make it smooth, level, etc.

verb transitiveWord forms: planed or ˈplaning

to make smooth or level with or as with a plane

to remove with or as with a plane

with off or away

verb intransitive

to work with a plane

to do the work of a plane

Word origin

OFr plaine < LL plana < planare, to plane, make level < L planus: see plain1

Word Frequency

plane in American English 4

(pleɪn )

noun

any of a genus (Platanus) of trees of the plane-tree family having maplelike leaves, spherical dry fruits, and bark that sheds in large patches; sycamore

Word origin

ME < MFr plasne < L platanus < Gr platanos < platys, broad (see platy-): from its broad leaves

Example sentences including
plane

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

But it has now emerged detectives arrested them as they tried to board a plane.Only about 20 of the planes are still flying and spare parts are a problem.When we boarded the plane back home, it was an empty feeling.She now hopes to become the youngest person to fly a powered plane solo on her 16th birthday.The attendants stared at my partner, who had to hobble off the plane wearing just one shoe.She then said she wanted me to send her more money to buy a plane ticket so she can come and live with me.He said:'We have booked our plane tickets so we need to make sure we prepare right.Other tasks on offer include working in a TV studio, piloting a plane or scaling buildings.This would normally trigger another control unit to fly the plane automatically. Flat planes of colour can look wonderful when cast in shadow by strong sunlight.

Word lists with
plane

tool, tree

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

Score: 0 / 5

Which tree am I?

any lauraceous tree of the genus Laurus, such as the bay tree and L. canariensis, of the Canary Islands and Azores

Antarctic beech laurel willow

Which tree am I?

an Australian eucalyptus tree, Eucalyptus maculata

karri mugga spotted gum

Which tree am I?

a New Zealand myrtaceous tree, Leptospermum scoparium, with strong elastic wood and aromatic leaves

manuka walnut yew

Which tree am I?

any of various willow trees, esp Salix viminalis, whose flexible branches or twigs are used for making baskets, etc

osier wattle willow

Which tree am I?

any tree of the genus Nothofagus, related to the beech and native to temperate Australasia and South America, esp Nothofagus cunninghamii of SE Australia or Nothofagus moorei of NE Australia

angophora Antarctic beech walnut

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