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plain - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'plain' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Plain [ a.]
- 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.
- A field of battle.
2 . Plain [ adv.]
- In a plain manner; plainly.
3 . Plain [ superl.]
- Without elevations or depressions; flat; level; smooth; even. See Plane.
- Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair.
- Not intricate or difficult; evident; manifest; obvious; clear; unmistakable.
- Void of extraneous beauty or ornament; without conspicious embellishment; not rich; simple.
- Not highly cultivated; unsophisticated; free from show or pretension; simple; natural; homely; common.
- Free from affectation or disguise; candid; sincere; artless; honest; frank.
- Not luxurious; not highly seasoned; simple; as, plain food.
- Without beauty; not handsome; homely; as, a plain woman.
- Not variegated, dyed, or figured; as, plain muslin.
- Not much varied by modulations; as, a plain tune.
4 . Plain [ v.]
- To plane or level; to make plain or even on the surface.
- To make plain or manifest; to explain.
5 . Plain [ v. i.]
- To lament; to bewail; to complain.
6 . Plain [ v. t.]
- To lament; to mourn over; as, to plain a loss.

Meaning of 'plain' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . plain [ n]
Meaning (1):
- extensive tract of level open land
Example in sentence:
  • he longed for the fields of his youth;
  • they emerged from the woods onto a vast open plain
2 . plain [ v]
Meaning (2):
- express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
Example in sentence:
  • My mother complains all day;
  • She has a lot to kick about
3 . plain [ a]
Meaning (3):
- not elaborate or elaborated; simple
Example in sentence:
  • a plain blue suit;
  • a plain rectangular brick building;
  • plain food;
  • stuck to the plain facts
4 . plain [ r]
Meaning (4):
- unmistakably (`plain' is often used informally for `plainly')
Example in sentence:
  • he is plain stubborn;
  • he was manifestly too important to leave off the guest list;
  • I thought he owned the property, but apparently not;
  • it is all patently nonsense;
  • she has apparently been living here for some time;
  • she was in bed and evidently in great pain;
  • the answer is obviously wrong;
  • You are plainly wrong
5 . plain [ s]
Meaning (5):
- lacking in physical beauty or proportion
Example in sentence:
  • a homely child;
  • a plain girl with a freckled face;
  • several of the buildings were downright homely
Meaning (6):
- clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
Example in sentence:
  • a palpable lie;
  • evident hostility;
  • in plain view;
  • it is plain that he is no reactionary;
  • made his meaning plain;
  • manifest disapproval;
  • patent advantages;
  • the effects of the drought are apparent to anyone who sees the parched fields
Meaning (7):
- lacking embellishment or ornamentation
Example in sentence:
  • a plain hair style;
  • functional architecture featuring stark unornamented concrete;
  • unembellished white walls
Meaning (8):
- not mixed with extraneous elements
Example in sentence:
  • not an unmixed blessing;
  • plain water;
  • sheer wine
Meaning (9):
- free from any effort to soften to disguise
Example in sentence:
  • the plain and unvarnished truth;
  • the unvarnished candor of old people and children

Nearby Words:

placability placable placableness placard placarded placarding placate placated placating placation

See 'plain' also in:

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