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Plain   /pleɪn/   Listen
adjective
Plain  adj.  (compar. plainer; superl. plainest)  
1.
Without elevations or depressions; flat; level; smooth; even. See Plane. "The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain."
2.
Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair. "Our troops beat an army in plain fight."
3.
Not intricate or difficult; evident; manifest; obvious; clear; unmistakable. "'T is a plain case."
4.
(a)
Void of extraneous beauty or ornament; without conspicious embellishment; not rich; simple.
(b)
Not highly cultivated; unsophisticated; free from show or pretension; simple; natural; homely; common. "Plain yet pious Christians." "The plain people."
(c)
Free from affectation or disguise; candid; sincere; artless; honest; frank. "An honest mind, and plain."
(d)
Not luxurious; not highly seasoned; simple; as, plain food.
(e)
Without beauty; not handsome; homely; as, a plain woman.
(f)
Not variegated, dyed, or figured; as, plain muslin.
(g)
Not much varied by modulations; as, a plain tune.
Plain battle, open battle; pitched battle. (Obs.)
Plain chant (Mus.) Same as Plain song, below.
Plain chart (Naut.), a chart laid down on Mercator's projection.
Plain dealer.
(a)
One who practices plain dealing.
(b)
A simpleton. (Obs.)
Plain dealing. See under Dealing.
Plain molding (Join.), molding of which the surfaces are plain figures.
Plain sewing, sewing of seams by simple and common stitches, in distinct from fancy work, embroidery, etc.; distinguished also from designing and fitting garments.
Plain song.
(a)
The Gregorian chant, or canto fermo; the prescribed melody of the Roman Catholic service, sung in unison, in tones of equal length, and rarely extending beyond the compass of an octave.
(b)
A simple melody.
Plain speaking, plainness or bluntness of speech.
Synonyms: Level; flat; smooth; open; artless; unaffected; undisguised; frank; sincere; honest; candid; ingenuous; unembellished; downright; blunt; clear; simple; distinct; manifest; obvious; apparent. See Manifest.


noun
Plain  n.  
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. "Descending fro the mountain into playn." "Him the Ammonite Worshiped in Rabba and her watery plain."
2.
A field of battle. (Obs.) "Lead forth my soldiers to the plain."


adverb
Plain  adv.  In a plain manner; plainly. "To speak short and pleyn." "To tell you plain."


verb
Plain  v. t.  To lament; to mourn over; as, to plain a loss. (Archaic & Poetic)


Plain  v. t.  (past & past part. plained; pres. part. plaining)  
1.
To plane or level; to make plain or even on the surface. (R.) "We would rake Europe rather, plain the East."
2.
To make plain or manifest; to explain. "What's dumb in show, I'll plain in speech."


Plain  v. i.  To lament; to bewail; to complain. (Archaic & Poetic) "We with piteous heart unto you pleyne."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Plain" Quotes from Famous Books



... this pretty for a plain rhyme extempore? if ye will ye shall have more.' 'Nay, it is enough,' said Roberto, 'but how mean you to use me?' 'Why, sir, in making plays,' said the other, 'for which you shall be well paid, if you ...
— A History of English Literature - Elizabethan Literature • George Saintsbury
... of whatsoever type she might, some facet of the note could not fail to lure her hither. If a loyal Webster, family obligation would be the bait; if conscientious, plain duty stared her in the face; if mercenary, dreams of an inherited fortune would tempt her. ...
— The Wall Between • Sara Ware Bassett
... candid and to control my temper. By the memory of my father's character I learned to be modest and manly. My mother taught me regard for religion, to be generous and open-handed, and neither to do an ill turn to anyone nor even to think of it. She bred me also to a plain and inexpensive way of living. I owe it to my grandfather that I had not a public education, but had good masters at home. From my tutor I learned not to identify myself with popular sporting interests, but to work hard, endure fatigue, and not to meddle with other people's ...
— The Worlds Greatest Books, Volume XIII. - Religion and Philosophy • Various
... pause ensues:—but hark again! From the new woodland, stealing o'er the plain, Comes forth a sweeter and a holier strain!— Listening delighted, The gales breathe softly, as they bear along The warbled treasure,—the delicious throng Of notes that swell accordant in the song, As love ...
— The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. IV, No. 22, Aug., 1859 • Various
... "he who discovers a gold mine, is surely superior to him who afterwards adapts the metal for use;" especially when it is paraded with comparisons between "Colombo" and "Amerigo Vespucci," and a misplaced panegyric on Newton. And much of this is encumbered with language that fatigues and makes a plain matter obscure. There is a little affectation sometimes in Mr Fuseli's writing of Ciceronic ambages, that is really injurious to the good sense and just thoughts, which would without this display, come free, open, ...
— Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine - Volume 54, No. 338, December 1843 • Various


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