GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  1.       

    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.]
    1. 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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    2. Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair.
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      Our troops beat an army in plain fight.
      Felton.

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    3. Not intricate or difficult; evident; manifest; obvious; clear; unmistakable. “'T is a plain case.” 
      Shak.

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    4. (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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