英语词汇“plain”的英英意思、用法、释义、翻译、读音、例句、短语、词组-英语词典

plain1

/pleɪn

adjective

1Not decorated or elaborate; simple or basic in character: good plain food everyone dined at a plain wooden table...

She was surrounded by a simple, plain room with a wooden wardrobe and desk.
Their rich, sumptuous food contrasted with the simple and plain food prepared by the ordinary people of Nepal.
I wanted to photograph the United States in its most basic, plain, everyday sense.

Synonyms

simple, ordinary, unadorned, undecorated, unembellished, unornamented, unpretentious, unostentatious, unfussy, homely, homespun, basic, modest, unsophisticated, penny plain, without frills;

stark, severe, spartan, austere, chaste, bare, uncluttered, restrained, muted, unpatterned, patternless, everyday, workaday

1.1Without a pattern; in only one colour: a plain fabric...

For so long, it's been black or linen in plain colours, and suddenly there's been an explosion of colour which is really inspiring people.
If you want to distract attention from your top half, go for a plain colour and style on top and a sexier bottom with side ties or lots of flamboyant detail.
Ascot rules dictate that they should be of a plain colour, and innocent of sponsors' logos.

1.2Bearing no indication as to contents or affiliation: donations can be put in a plain envelope...

The envelope was a plain white one with no indication who it was from.
The letters arrived in plain envelopes with a Kelowna return address.
These envelopes, always plain white and small, are never opened until the two parties are far apart.

1.3(Of paper) without lines.As for the writing paper (which should never be called note paper), this must be plain, not lined, and white or ivory....

Cover the work surface with plain newsprint or a drop cloth.
Individually, an ant would get lost on a plain piece of paper.

2Easy to perceive or understand; clear: the advantages were plain to see it was plain that something was wrong...

Like many of us, it is also plain that he cannot understand why.
To an outsider, it's one of the hardest things to understand about the company, but the benefits are plain to see on stage.
On the day both teams showed great determination, and it was plain to see that winning would be no easy task.

Synonyms

obvious, clear, crystal clear, as clear as crystal, evident, apparent, manifest, patent, visible, discernible, perceptible, perceivable, noticeable, detectable, recognizable, observable, unmistakable, transparent, palpable, distinct, pronounced, marked, striking, conspicuous, overt, self-evident, indisputable;

as plain as a pikestaff, staring someone in the face, writ large, written all over someone, as plain as day, plain to see, beyond (a) doubt, beyond question

informal as plain as the nose on one's face, standing/sticking out like a sore thumb, standing/sticking out a mile

2.1 [attributive] (Of written or spoken usage) clearly expressed, without the use of technical or abstruse terms: an insurance policy written in plain English...

On the other hand, he is fond of the kind of design analysis that leaves the uninitiated wishing he would speak in plain English, in terms the layman can understand.
I think the candidates need to be very specific and speak in plain English.
And when we do talk about it, we should do so clearly, in plain English - not in jumbled phrases of design jargon.

Synonyms

intelligible, comprehensible, understandable, coherent, accessible, uncomplicated, lucid, perspicuous, unambiguous, clear, simple, straightforward, clearly expressed, clear-cut, direct, digestible, user-friendly

2.2Not using concealment or deception; frank: there were indrawn breaths at such plain speaking...

He is from an era when blunt and plain speaking was applauded.
Is this issue beneath this great Prime Minister, who is blunt, and plain speaking, and goes on the front foot?
Honesty and plain speaking are not virtues for politicians and diplomats.

Synonyms

candid, frank, outspoken, forthright, plain-spoken, direct, honest, truthful, blunt, downright, unvarnished, bald, straight from the shoulder, explicit, unequivocal

informal upfront

archaic round, free-spoken

3Not distinguished by any particular beauty; ordinary looking: a plain, round-faced woman...

Perfect posture can make a plain person stunningly attractive.
I always used to look at myself as sort of a plain person.
It was nice to see such an attractive Ruth as often she is rather plain compared to Elvira.

Synonyms

unattractive, unprepossessing, as plain as a pikestaff, ugly, ill-favoured, unlovely, ordinary-looking;

North American homely

informal not much to look at, fugly

British informal no oil painting

New Zealand informal huckery

3.1Having no pretensions; not remarkable or special: a plain, honest man with no nonsense about him...

On the outside he was a plain guy, quite normal and polite, but once you got to know him, opinions started to take a turn for the worse.
Meanwhile, plain folks toss around the word with abandon.
And so the politicians, the soldiers, the businessmen, and the plain folk decided it was best to give up their guns.

Synonyms

straightforward, unpretentious, simple, ordinary, average, unassuming, unaffected, honest-to-goodness, ingenuous, artless, guileless, sincere;

North American cracker-barrel

4 [attributive] Sheer; simple (used for emphasis): the main problem is just plain exhaustion...

Many died from malnutrition, fighting, or just plain exhaustion before even getting to the construction sites.
Minimizing the number of systems that engineers deal with is also key, so that making GM products is cheaper and just plain simpler.
Plus, it's just plain exhausting trying to say productive, generous, and constructive things all the time.

Synonyms

sheer, pure, downright, out-and-out, unmitigated, rank, nothing other than

5(Of a knitting stitch) made by putting the needle through the front of the stitch from left to right. Compare with purl¹.She offered a more varied needlework curriculum of plain work, marking, openwork, and embroidery along with reading and writing....

When working the 101st row, knit the margin, also 9 stripes of the pattern, then knit 30 plain stitches, and resume the pattern to the end.

adverb informal

1 [as submodifier] Used for emphasis: perhaps the youth was just plain stupid...

Your statement on Nicaragua shows how utterly naive and just plain stupid you are.
The trouble with most of the right wing positions are that they are just plain old fashioned stupid.
They should have been happy at the prospect of fresh air, swathes of green and house prices which are stupid rather than plain insane.

Synonyms

downright, utterly, absolutely, completely, totally, really, thoroughly, positively, profoundly, categorically, simply, incontrovertibly, unquestionably, undeniably

informal plumb

2Clearly or unequivocally: I’m finished with you, I’ll tell you plain...

I'll tell you plain that I'm pretty rough myself, but you're mighty shady company even for Billy.
He was speaking plain enough to be very intelligible to Emma.
We warned him plain.

noun

A large area of flat land with few trees: the coastal plain...

The land terrain in Cambodia is mostly made up of low lands, flat plains, with mountains in the Southwest and north.
The landscape includes flat desert plains, rugged savanna, and volcanic mountains.
The area covers 1,200 hectares of land and consists of flat plains, foothills and a white sandy beach, sloping down towards a crystal blue sea.

Synonyms

grassland, flatland, lowland, pasture, meadowland, open country, prairie, savannah, steppe;

in South America tableland, tundra, pampas, campo, llano, vega;

in southern Africa veld;

Geology pediplain

literary champaign

Phrases

as plain as the nose on someone's face

plain and simple

plain as day

Derivatives

plainness

/ˈpleɪnnəs

/ noun ...

In the weaker poems, the effect is wishful and mechanical, but there are many moments of startling illumination, and these are made more powerful by the seeming plainness and directness of his manner.
And yet that tradition's peculiar virtues - understatement, plainness, a willingness to explain one's ideas - create the effects here which will surprise Americans most.
As in some of the palazzi of the High Renaissance, the plainness and heaviness of the ground floor, whose arches were open to the elements until 1862, makes a marked and deliberate contrast to the sculptural richness above.

Origin

Middle English: from Old French plain, from Latin planus, from a base meaning 'flat'.

The source of both plain and plane is Latin planus ‘flat’. Mathematicians introduced the spelling plane in the early 17th century to distinguish the geometrical uses of plain from senses such as ‘ordinary’ and ‘simple’. The sort of plane used to make wood flat is from the same source. Plane meaning ‘an aircraft’ is unconnected, and is a shortening of aeroplane. Also unconnected is the plane tree (Late Middle English), which is not flat but ‘broad’, the meaning of its Greek source platus. The plan of a building (mid 17th century), which involves putting something three-dimensional on a flat surface, is, however, related. The earlier version of the expression as plain as a pikestaff, ‘very obvious’, was as plain as a packstaff, which gives a small clue as to its origins. A packstaff was a long stick which a peddler used to carry his pack of goods for sale, which would probably have been obvious from a distance as the peddler trudged along the road. By the end of the 16th century people had started to use the current version with pikestaff, and a hundred years later it had more or less taken over. A pikestaff was a walking stick with a pointed metal tip, which possibly replaced packstaff because it sounded similar and peddlers were becoming a less familiar sight. The phrase plain sailing, ‘smooth and easy progress’, probably represents a use of plane sailing, referring to the practice of determining a ship's position on the theoretical assumption that it is moving on a plane. Plain Jane first appears in 1912, in Carnival by Compton Mackenzie. There was probably no real Jane behind the phrase, just a fortunate rhyme.

Rhymes

plain2

/pleɪn

verb [no object] archaic

1Mourn or lament.'Oh, Rover, don't you leave me, too,' she plained out.

1.1Complain.When she was entertained she plained about her new-found fame.

1.2Emit a mournful or plaintive sound.She plained of love; she longed for wings.

Origin

Middle English: from Old French plaindre, from Latin plangere 'to lament'.

单词	plain
释义	plain1 /pleɪn / adjective 1Not decorated or elaborate; simple or basic in character: good plain food everyone dined at a plain wooden table... She was surrounded by a simple, plain room with a wooden wardrobe and desk. Their rich, sumptuous food contrasted with the simple and plain food prepared by the ordinary people of Nepal. I wanted to photograph the United States in its most basic, plain, everyday sense. Synonyms simple, ordinary, unadorned, undecorated, unembellished, unornamented, unpretentious, unostentatious, unfussy, homely, homespun, basic, modest, unsophisticated, penny plain, without frills; stark, severe, spartan, austere, chaste, bare, uncluttered, restrained, muted, unpatterned, patternless, everyday, workaday 1.1Without a pattern; in only one colour: a plain fabric... For so long, it's been black or linen in plain colours, and suddenly there's been an explosion of colour which is really inspiring people. If you want to distract attention from your top half, go for a plain colour and style on top and a sexier bottom with side ties or lots of flamboyant detail. Ascot rules dictate that they should be of a plain colour, and innocent of sponsors' logos. 1.2Bearing no indication as to contents or affiliation: donations can be put in a plain envelope... The envelope was a plain white one with no indication who it was from. The letters arrived in plain envelopes with a Kelowna return address. These envelopes, always plain white and small, are never opened until the two parties are far apart. 1.3(Of paper) without lines.As for the writing paper (which should never be called note paper), this must be plain, not lined, and white or ivory.... Cover the work surface with plain newsprint or a drop cloth. Individually, an ant would get lost on a plain piece of paper. 2Easy to perceive or understand; clear: the advantages were plain to see it was plain that something was wrong... Like many of us, it is also plain that he cannot understand why. To an outsider, it's one of the hardest things to understand about the company, but the benefits are plain to see on stage. On the day both teams showed great determination, and it was plain to see that winning would be no easy task. Synonyms obvious, clear, crystal clear, as clear as crystal, evident, apparent, manifest, patent, visible, discernible, perceptible, perceivable, noticeable, detectable, recognizable, observable, unmistakable, transparent, palpable, distinct, pronounced, marked, striking, conspicuous, overt, self-evident, indisputable; as plain as a pikestaff, staring someone in the face, writ large, written all over someone, as plain as day, plain to see, beyond (a) doubt, beyond question informal as plain as the nose on one's face, standing/sticking out like a sore thumb, standing/sticking out a mile 2.1 [attributive] (Of written or spoken usage) clearly expressed, without the use of technical or abstruse terms: an insurance policy written in plain English... On the other hand, he is fond of the kind of design analysis that leaves the uninitiated wishing he would speak in plain English, in terms the layman can understand. I think the candidates need to be very specific and speak in plain English. And when we do talk about it, we should do so clearly, in plain English - not in jumbled phrases of design jargon. Synonyms intelligible, comprehensible, understandable, coherent, accessible, uncomplicated, lucid, perspicuous, unambiguous, clear, simple, straightforward, clearly expressed, clear-cut, direct, digestible, user-friendly 2.2Not using concealment or deception; frank: there were indrawn breaths at such plain speaking... He is from an era when blunt and plain speaking was applauded. Is this issue beneath this great Prime Minister, who is blunt, and plain speaking, and goes on the front foot? Honesty and plain speaking are not virtues for politicians and diplomats. Synonyms candid, frank, outspoken, forthright, plain-spoken, direct, honest, truthful, blunt, downright, unvarnished, bald, straight from the shoulder, explicit, unequivocal informal upfront archaic round, free-spoken 3Not distinguished by any particular beauty; ordinary looking: a plain, round-faced woman... Perfect posture can make a plain person stunningly attractive. I always used to look at myself as sort of a plain person. It was nice to see such an attractive Ruth as often she is rather plain compared to Elvira. Synonyms unattractive, unprepossessing, as plain as a pikestaff, ugly, ill-favoured, unlovely, ordinary-looking; North American homely informal not much to look at, fugly British informal no oil painting New Zealand informal huckery 3.1Having no pretensions; not remarkable or special: a plain, honest man with no nonsense about him... On the outside he was a plain guy, quite normal and polite, but once you got to know him, opinions started to take a turn for the worse. Meanwhile, plain folks toss around the word with abandon. And so the politicians, the soldiers, the businessmen, and the plain folk decided it was best to give up their guns. Synonyms straightforward, unpretentious, simple, ordinary, average, unassuming, unaffected, honest-to-goodness, ingenuous, artless, guileless, sincere; North American cracker-barrel 4 [attributive] Sheer; simple (used for emphasis): the main problem is just plain exhaustion... Many died from malnutrition, fighting, or just plain exhaustion before even getting to the construction sites. Minimizing the number of systems that engineers deal with is also key, so that making GM products is cheaper and just plain simpler. Plus, it's just plain exhausting trying to say productive, generous, and constructive things all the time. Synonyms sheer, pure, downright, out-and-out, unmitigated, rank, nothing other than 5(Of a knitting stitch) made by putting the needle through the front of the stitch from left to right. Compare with purl¹.She offered a more varied needlework curriculum of plain work, marking, openwork, and embroidery along with reading and writing.... When working the 101st row, knit the margin, also 9 stripes of the pattern, then knit 30 plain stitches, and resume the pattern to the end. adverb informal 1 [as submodifier] Used for emphasis: perhaps the youth was just plain stupid... Your statement on Nicaragua shows how utterly naive and just plain stupid you are. The trouble with most of the right wing positions are that they are just plain old fashioned stupid. They should have been happy at the prospect of fresh air, swathes of green and house prices which are stupid rather than plain insane. Synonyms downright, utterly, absolutely, completely, totally, really, thoroughly, positively, profoundly, categorically, simply, incontrovertibly, unquestionably, undeniably informal plumb 2Clearly or unequivocally: I’m finished with you, I’ll tell you plain... I'll tell you plain that I'm pretty rough myself, but you're mighty shady company even for Billy. He was speaking plain enough to be very intelligible to Emma. We warned him plain. noun A large area of flat land with few trees: the coastal plain... The land terrain in Cambodia is mostly made up of low lands, flat plains, with mountains in the Southwest and north. The landscape includes flat desert plains, rugged savanna, and volcanic mountains. The area covers 1,200 hectares of land and consists of flat plains, foothills and a white sandy beach, sloping down towards a crystal blue sea. Synonyms grassland, flatland, lowland, pasture, meadowland, open country, prairie, savannah, steppe; in South America tableland, tundra, pampas, campo, llano, vega; in southern Africa veld; Geology pediplain literary champaign Phrases as plain as the nose on someone's face plain and simple plain as day Derivatives plainness /ˈpleɪnnəs / noun ... In the weaker poems, the effect is wishful and mechanical, but there are many moments of startling illumination, and these are made more powerful by the seeming plainness and directness of his manner. And yet that tradition's peculiar virtues - understatement, plainness, a willingness to explain one's ideas - create the effects here which will surprise Americans most. As in some of the palazzi of the High Renaissance, the plainness and heaviness of the ground floor, whose arches were open to the elements until 1862, makes a marked and deliberate contrast to the sculptural richness above. Origin Middle English: from Old French plain, from Latin planus, from a base meaning 'flat'. The source of both plain and plane is Latin planus ‘flat’. Mathematicians introduced the spelling plane in the early 17th century to distinguish the geometrical uses of plain from senses such as ‘ordinary’ and ‘simple’. The sort of plane used to make wood flat is from the same source. Plane meaning ‘an aircraft’ is unconnected, and is a shortening of aeroplane. Also unconnected is the plane tree (Late Middle English), which is not flat but ‘broad’, the meaning of its Greek source platus. The plan of a building (mid 17th century), which involves putting something three-dimensional on a flat surface, is, however, related. The earlier version of the expression as plain as a pikestaff, ‘very obvious’, was as plain as a packstaff, which gives a small clue as to its origins. A packstaff was a long stick which a peddler used to carry his pack of goods for sale, which would probably have been obvious from a distance as the peddler trudged along the road. By the end of the 16th century people had started to use the current version with pikestaff, and a hundred years later it had more or less taken over. A pikestaff was a walking stick with a pointed metal tip, which possibly replaced packstaff because it sounded similar and peddlers were becoming a less familiar sight. The phrase plain sailing, ‘smooth and easy progress’, probably represents a use of plane sailing, referring to the practice of determining a ship's position on the theoretical assumption that it is moving on a plane. Plain Jane first appears in 1912, in Carnival by Compton Mackenzie. There was probably no real Jane behind the phrase, just a fortunate rhyme. Rhymes abstain, appertain, arcane, arraign, ascertain, attain, Bahrain, bane, blain, brain, Braine, Cain, Caine, campaign, cane, cinquain, chain, champagne, champaign, Champlain, Charmaine, chicane, chow mein, cocaine, Coleraine, Coltrane, complain, constrain, contain, crane, Dane, deign, demesne, demi-mondaine, detain, disdain, domain, domaine, drain, Duane, Dwane, Elaine, entertain, entrain, explain, fain, fane, feign, gain, Germaine, germane, grain, humane, Hussein, inane, Jain, Jane, Jermaine, Kane, La Fontaine, lain, lane, legerdemain, Lorraine, main, Maine, maintain, mane, mise en scène, Montaigne, moraine, mundane, obtain, ordain, Paine, pane, pertain, plane, Port-of-Spain, profane, rain, Raine, refrain, reign, rein, retain, romaine, sane, Seine, Shane, Sinn Fein, skein, slain, Spain, Spillane, sprain, stain, strain, sustain, swain, terrain, thane, train, twain, Ujjain, Ukraine, underlain, urbane, vain, vane, vein, Verlaine, vicereine, wain, wane, Wayne plain2 /pleɪn / verb [no object] archaic 1Mourn or lament.'Oh, Rover, don't you leave me, too,' she plained out. 1.1Complain.When she was entertained she plained about her new-found fame. 1.2Emit a mournful or plaintive sound.She plained of love; she longed for wings. Origin Middle English: from Old French plaindre, from Latin plangere 'to lament'.
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