plain

1 of 5

adjective

ˈplān

: lacking ornament : undecorated

: free of extraneous matter : pure

: free of impediments to view : unobstructed

a(1)

: evident to the mind or senses : obvious

it's perfectly plain that they will resist

(2)

: clear

let me make my meaning plain

: marked by outspoken candor : free from duplicity or subtlety : blunt

plain talk

: belonging to the masses : common

: lacking special distinction or affectation : ordinary

: characterized by simplicity : not complicated

plain home-cooked meals

: lacking beauty or ugliness

archaic : even, level

plainly adverb

plainness

ˈplān-nəs

noun

plain

2 of 5

noun

: an extensive area of level or rolling treeless country

: a broad unbroken expanse

: something free from artifice, ornament, or extraneous matter

plain

3 of 5

adverb (1)

: in a plain manner : without obscurity or ambiguity

saw them clearly and told you plain

Amer. Documentation

plain

4 of 5

adverb (2)

: absolutely sense 1a

plain wrong

plain

5 of 5

verb

plained; plaining; plains

intransitive verb

archaic

: complain

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin planum, from neuter of planus flat, plain — more at floor

Adverb (2)

partly from Middle English plein entire, complete, from Anglo-French, full, from Latin plenus; partly from plain entry 3 — more at full

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French pleindre, plaindre, from Latin plangere to lament — more at plaint

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 8

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

plain 1 of 3

adjective

ˈplān

plainer; plainest

: having no pattern or decoration

a plain jacket

: not handsome or beautiful

: not hard to do or understand

The lesson was explained in plain words.

The directions were plain.

: without anything having been added

He eats plain yogurt.

: open and clear to the sight

I left my money in plain view.

: frank

The judge is famous for her plain speaking.

: of common or average accomplishments or position : ordinary

just plain folks

plain

2 of 3

noun

: a large area of level or rolling treeless land

plain

3 of 3

adverb

: without any question : to a complete degree

… she's just plain jealous when I'm at the piano and she's not.

Karen Hesse, Out of the Dust

plainly

adverb

as in openly

in an honest and direct manner you'll have to tell your relatives very plainly that you don't like perfume, or they'll keep giving it to you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

openly
sincerely
plain
straightforwardly
simply
honestly
straightforward
forthrightly
abruptly
directly
frankly
straight
sharply
baldly
straightforwards
candidly
bluntly
earnestly
foursquare
unreservedly
curtly
unguardedly
brusquely
truthfully
rudely
artlessly
impolitely
bluffly
tactlessly
gruffly
inconsiderately
openheartedly
veraciously
point-blank

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

politely
tactfully
wordily
courteously
diplomatically
verbosely
mendaciously
falsely
erroneously
untruthfully
deceitfully
ambiguously
equivocally
hypocritically
fallaciously
civilly
insincerely
evasively
indirectly
long-windedly
circuitously

as in certainly

without any question your wife is plainly upset that you didn't invite her to the game with us

Synonyms & Similar Words

certainly
surely
definitely
clearly
sure
probably
really
undoubtedly
likely
assuredly
truly
easily
so
unquestionably
undeniably
indisputably
indeed
doubtless
damn well
for sure
for certain
obviously
incontestably
incontrovertibly
possibly
perhaps
inarguably
forsooth
unarguably
alright
all right
hands down
conceivably
unmistakably
by all means
by all odds

单词	plainly
释义	plain 1 of 5 adjective ˈplān 1 : lacking ornament : undecorated 2 : free of extraneous matter : pure 3 : free of impediments to view : unobstructed 4 a(1) : evident to the mind or senses : obvious it's perfectly plain that they will resist (2) : clear let me make my meaning plain b : marked by outspoken candor : free from duplicity or subtlety : blunt plain talk 5 a : belonging to the masses : common b : lacking special distinction or affectation : ordinary 6 : characterized by simplicity : not complicated plain home-cooked meals 7 : lacking beauty or ugliness 8 archaic : even, level plainly adverb plainness ˈplān-nəs noun plain 2 of 5 noun 1 a : an extensive area of level or rolling treeless country b : a broad unbroken expanse 2 : something free from artifice, ornament, or extraneous matter plain 3 of 5 adverb (1) : in a plain manner : without obscurity or ambiguity saw them clearly and told you plain Amer. Documentation plain 4 of 5 adverb (2) : absolutely sense 1a plain wrong plain 5 of 5 verb plained; plaining; plains intransitive verb archaic : complain Synonyms Adjective bald bare naked plain-vanilla simple unadorned undecorated unembellished unornamented unvarnished Noun campo champaign down(s) grassland heath lea ley llano moor pampa prairie savanna savannah steppe tundra veld veldt Adverb (1) directly forthrightly foursquare plainly straight straightforward straightforwards straightforwardly See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Adjective It was a plain room with no curtains. She was wearing plain black shoes. He printed the picture on plain paper. a piece of plain chicken You don't have to call me Mr. Johnson—just plain Fred will be fine. What he said is a lie, plain and simple. Noun the Great Plains of the United States the first settlers in that area lived on the vast plains in lonely log cabins See More Word History Etymology Noun Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin planum, from neuter of planus flat, plain — more at floor Adverb (2) partly from Middle English plein entire, complete, from Anglo-French, full, from Latin plenus; partly from plain entry 3 — more at full Verb Middle English, from Anglo-French pleindre, plaindre, from Latin plangere to lament — more at plaint First Known Use Adjective 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 8 Noun 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Adverb (1) 14th century, in the meaning defined above Adverb (2) 14th century, in the meaning defined above Verb 14th century, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing plain (as) plain as the nose on your face (as) plain as day make it plain plain chocolate just plain folks in plain sight in plain view plain-woven plain-vanilla plain weave abyssal plain plain flour plain-laid plain sailing plain Jane plain clothes See More (as) plain as the nose on your face (as) plain as day make it plain plain chocolate just plain folks in plain sight in plain view plain-woven plain-vanilla plain weave abyssal plain plain flour plain-laid plain sailing plain Jane plain clothes See More Kids Definition plain 1 of 3 adjective ˈplān plainer; plainest 1 : having no pattern or decoration a plain jacket 2 : not handsome or beautiful 3 : not hard to do or understand The lesson was explained in plain words. The directions were plain. 4 : without anything having been added He eats plain yogurt. 5 : open and clear to the sight I left my money in plain view. 6 : frank The judge is famous for her plain speaking. 7 : of common or average accomplishments or position : ordinary just plain folks plain 2 of 3 noun : a large area of level or rolling treeless land plain 3 of 3 adverb : without any question : to a complete degree … she's just plain jealous when I'm at the piano and she's not. Karen Hesse, Out of the Dust plainly adverb 1 as in openly in an honest and direct manner you'll have to tell your relatives very plainly that you don't like perfume, or they'll keep giving it to you Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance openly sincerely plain straightforwardly simply honestly straightforward forthrightly abruptly directly frankly straight sharply baldly straightforwards candidly bluntly earnestly foursquare unreservedly curtly unguardedly brusquely truthfully rudely artlessly impolitely bluffly tactlessly gruffly inconsiderately openheartedly veraciously point-blank Antonyms & Near Antonyms politely tactfully wordily courteously diplomatically verbosely mendaciously falsely erroneously untruthfully deceitfully ambiguously equivocally hypocritically fallaciously civilly insincerely evasively indirectly long-windedly circuitously See More 2 as in certainly without any question your wife is plainly upset that you didn't invite her to the game with us Synonyms & Similar Words certainly surely definitely clearly sure probably really undoubtedly likely assuredly truly easily so unquestionably undeniably indisputably indeed doubtless damn well for sure for certain obviously incontestably incontrovertibly possibly perhaps inarguably forsooth unarguably alright all right hands down conceivably unmistakably by all means by all odds
随便看	knops knorhaan knorhaans Knorria knosp knosps Knossian Knossos knot knot bindweed knot garden knot sawyer knot theorist knot theory knotgrass knotgrasses knothead knothole knotholes knotless knotroot knotroot grass knots knotted knotter

plain

adjective

noun

adverb (1)

adverb (2)

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing plain

Kids Definition

adjective

noun

adverb

adverb