plain

plain: 1 /pleIn/ adjective
1 CLEAR very clear, and easy to understand or recognize; obvious (1): He spoke in Russian, but his message was plain enough. | it is plain (that): It was plain that management policies would have to change. | as plain as day/as plain as the nose on your face (=very clear): Phil loves her - that's as plain as day.

2 SIMPLE without anything added or without decoration; simple: a plain white blouse | It's just a plain wooden table but it looks just right in this room. | plain food | a plain gold wedding ring

3 HONEST showing clearly and honestly what you think about something, without trying to hide anything; frank 1 (1): Let's have some plain, truthful answers.

4 make sth plain/make yourself plain to state something very clearly, in a way that cannot be misunderstood: They made their position plain from the start. | Let me make myself plain - we are not prepared to accept the deal as it stands.
—see also: plainly
5 the plain truth/fact is especially spoken used to say what you think is the simple and honest truth about a situation: The plain truth is he's just not good enough.

6 plain stupidity/greed etc stupidity etc, and nothing else: His motive was plain greed.

7 NOT BEAUTIFUL a word meaning ugly or unattractive, often used because you want to avoid saying this directly: Mrs Cookson was a rather plain woman.

8 PAPER plain paper does not have lines on it

9 (just) plain Mr/Mrs etc used to say that someone does not have a title, rank, or special name: No, it's not Doctor, just plain Mister.

10 in plain English simply or clearly expressed, especially without using technical language: The computer system is explained in plain English.

11 in plain clothes police officers in plain clothes are not wearing uniform

12 be plain sailing to be very easy to do or achieve
— plainness noun (U) 2 noun
1 also plains (C) a large area of flat dry land: The grassy plain gave way to an extensive swamp. | the vast plains of central China

2 (U) the ordinary stitch in knitting; knit (2)
3 adverb plain stupid/wrong/rude etc informal simply or completely stupid etc: It's just plain crazy to spend all your pay as soon as you get it.

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Synonyms:

Even, level, smooth, flat, plane / Easy, direct, clear / Simple, frugal, homely / Unornamented, unfigured, unvariegated, Plateau, champaign, savanna, pampas, table-land, champaign country / Open, clear, unencumbered, uninterrupted / Manifest, visible, obvious, clear, unmistakable, apparent, certain, palpable, conspicuous, notable, notorious, glaring, patent, open, evident, distinct / Unequivocal, unambiguous, distinct, explicit, intelligible, perspicuous / Simple, unadorned / Homely, ugly, ill-looking, ill-favored / Artless, honest, sincere, candid, frank, open, downright, direct, unsophisticated, ingenuous, undesigning, straightforward, single-minded, open-hearted, above-board, unreserved / Artless, simple, unlearned, unsophisticated, natural, unaffected, homely, common / Mere, absolute, unmistakable

Look at other dictionaries:

plain — plain … Dictionnaire des rimes
plain — plain, aine 1. (plin, plè n ) adj. 1° Qui est sans inégalités, uni. • Si le pays est bossu ou plain, couvert de bois ou découvert, VAUBAN. Dîme, p. 223. • Des cascades dans des lieux plains et sablonneux, J. J. ROUSS. Hél. IV, 11.… … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
Plain — Plain, a. [Compar. {Plainer}; superl. {Plainest}.] [F., level, flat, fr. L. planus, perhaps akin to E. floor. Cf. {Llano}, {Piano}, {Plan}, {Plane} level, a level surface.] 1. Without elevations or depressions; flat; level; smooth; even. See… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
plain — PLAIN, [pl]aine. adj. Il signifie proprement, Qui est uni, plat, & sans inegalitez: & il reçoit divers sens selon les divers substantifs, ausquels il se joint. Ainsi on dit, qu Une maison est en plain champ, en plaine campagne, pour dire, qu Elle … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
plain — plain1 [plān] adj. [OFr < L planus, flat, level < IE base * plā , broad, flat > FLOOR, FIELD] 1. Obs. flat; level; plane 2. free from obstructions; open; clear [in plain view] 3. clearly understood; evident; obvious [to make one s meani … English World dictionary
plain — adj 1 plane, flat, *level, even, smooth, flush Antonyms: solid 2 clear, distinct, obvious, *evident, manifest, patent, apparent, palpable Analogous words: *clear, lucid, perspicuous: *explicit, express, definite, specific, categorical Antonyms:… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
plain — [adj1] clear, obvious apparent, audible, big as life*, broad, comprehensible, definite, distinct, evident, legible, lucid, manifest, open, open and shut*, palpable, patent, talking turkey*, transparent, understandable, visible; concepts… … New thesaurus
Plain — Plain, n. [Cf. OF. plaigne, F. plaine. See {Plain}, a.] 1. Level land; usually, an open field or a broad stretch of land with an even surface, or a surface little varied by inequalities; as, the plain of Jordan; the American plains, or prairies.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Plain — Plain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plained}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Plaining}.] [Cf. {Plane}, v.] 1. To plane or level; to make plain or even on the surface. [R.] [1913 Webster] We would rake Europe rather, plain the East. Wither. [1913 Webster] 2. To make… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Plain — ist der Name folgender Personen: Honest John Plain Maria Plain sowie des Adelsgeschlechts: Grafen von Plain Plain ist ein Ortsname: Plain (Wisconsin) Diese Seite ist eine … Deutsch Wikipedia
Plain — Plain, adv. In a plain manner; plainly. To speak short and pleyn. Chaucer. To tell you plain. Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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