GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

Found 6 definitions

1.       
   Plain , v. i. [OE. playne, pleyne, fr. F. plaindre. See Plaint.] To lament; to bewail; to complain. [Archaic & Poetic]
   Milton.
   
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   We with piteous heart unto you pleyne.
   Chaucer.
   
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2.       
   Plain, v. t. To lament; to mourn over; as, to plain a loss. [Archaic & Poetic]
   Sir J. Harrington.
   
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3.       
   Plain, a. [Compar. Plainer ; superl. Plainest.] [F., level, flat, fr. L. planus, perhaps akin to E. floor. Cf. Llano, Piano, Plan, Plane level, a level surface.]
   Without elevations or depressions; flat; level; smooth; even. See Plane.
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   The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.
   Isa. xl. 4.
   
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   Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair.
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   Our troops beat an army in plain fight.
   Felton.
   
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   Not intricate or difficult; evident; manifest; obvious; clear; unmistakable. “'T is a plain case.” 
   Shak.
   
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   (a) Void of extraneous beauty or ornament; without conspicuous embellishment; not rich; simple. (b) Not highly cultivated; unsophisticated; free from show or pretension; simple; natural; homely; common. “Plain yet pious Christians.” Hammond. “The plain people.” A. Lincoln. (c) Free from affectation or disguise; candid; sincere; artless; honest; frank. “An honest mind, and plain.” Shak. (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.
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   Plain battle, open battle; pitched battle. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- 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.] Shak. -- 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.
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   Syn. -- Level; flat; smooth; open; artless; unaffected; undisguised; frank; sincere; honest; candid; ingenuous; unembellished; downright; blunt; clear; simple; distinct; manifest; obvious; apparent. See Manifest.
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4.       
   Plain, adv. In a plain manner; plainly. “To speak short and pleyn.” Chaucer. “To tell you plain.” Shak.
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5.       
   Plain, n. [Cf. OF. plaigne, F. plaine. See 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.
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   Descending fro the mountain into playn.
   Chaucer.
   
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   Him the Ammonite
   Worshiped in Rabba and her watery plain.
   Milton.
   
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   A field of battle. [Obs.]
   Arbuthnot.
   
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   Lead forth my soldiers to the plain.
   Shak.
   
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6.       
   Plain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plained ; p. pr. & vb. n. Plaining.] [Cf. Plane, v.]
   To plane or level; to make plain or even on the surface. [R.]
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   We would rake Europe rather, plain the East.
   Wither.
   
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   To make plain or manifest; to explain.
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   What's dumb in show, I'll plain in speech.
   Shak.
   
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