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

plainness

noun

as in honesty

the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions his unabashed plainness in telling people exactly what he thought of them was often offensive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

honesty
sincerity
directness
frankness
straightforwardness
bluntness
forthrightness
simplicity
candor
outspokenness
candidness
openness
unreserve
openheartedness
earnestness
plumpness
unguardedness
unreservedness
plainspokenness
naïveté
artlessness
freedom
sobriety
unsophistication
communicativeness
naivete
unrestraint
genuineness
naiveté
uninhibitedness
unrestrainedness
license
licence

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dissimulation
indirection
secretiveness
dissembling
restraint
reticence
evasiveness
shyness
inhibition
tact
circuitousness
diplomacy
reserve

as in simplicity

the quality or state of having a form or structure of few parts or elements the plainness and clean lines of that coffeemaker make it a piece of modern sculpture as well as a kitchen appliance

Synonyms & Similar Words

simplicity
uniformity
unsophistication
unity
homogeneity
homogeneousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

elaborateness
sophistication
complexity
intricacy
complication
complicatedness
complexness
complicacy
intricateness

单词	plainness
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 plainness noun 1 as in honesty the free expression of one's true feelings and opinions his unabashed plainness in telling people exactly what he thought of them was often offensive Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance honesty sincerity directness frankness straightforwardness bluntness forthrightness simplicity candor outspokenness candidness openness unreserve openheartedness earnestness plumpness unguardedness unreservedness plainspokenness naïveté artlessness freedom sobriety unsophistication communicativeness naivete unrestraint genuineness naiveté uninhibitedness unrestrainedness license licence Antonyms & Near Antonyms dissimulation indirection secretiveness dissembling restraint reticence evasiveness shyness inhibition tact circuitousness diplomacy reserve See More 2 as in simplicity the quality or state of having a form or structure of few parts or elements the plainness and clean lines of that coffeemaker make it a piece of modern sculpture as well as a kitchen appliance Synonyms & Similar Words simplicity uniformity unsophistication unity homogeneity homogeneousness Antonyms & Near Antonyms elaborateness sophistication complexity intricacy complication complicatedness complexness complicacy intricateness See More
随便看	pylons pylor- pylorectomies pylori pyloric pyloric artery pyloric caecum pyloric ring pyloric sac pyloriccer pyloriccest pyloricer pyloricest pyloro- pylorus pyloruses pylstert Pym pymander pyment pymt Pynchon pynchonesque PYO pyo-

plain

adjective

noun

adverb (1)

adverb (2)

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing plain

Kids Definition

adjective

noun

adverb

noun