PLAIN


Meaning of PLAIN in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ pleɪn ]

( plainer, plainest, plains)

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.

1.

A plain object, surface, or fabric is entirely in one colour and has no pattern, design, or writing on it.

In general, a plain carpet makes a room look bigger...

He wore a plain blue shirt, open at the collar.

ADJ : usu ADJ n

2.

Something that is plain is very simple in style.

Bronwen’s dress was plain but it hung well on her...

≠ fancy, elaborate

ADJ

• plain‧ly

He was very tall and plainly dressed.

ADV : ADV -ed

3.

If a fact, situation, or statement is plain , it is easy to recognize or understand.

It was plain to him that I was having a nervous breakdown...

He’s made it plain that he loves the game and wants to be involved still.

= clear

ADJ : usu v-link ADJ , oft it v-link ADJ that

see also plain-spoken

4.

If you describe someone as plain , you think they look ordinary and not at all beautiful.

...a shy, rather plain girl with a pale complexion.

ADJ

5.

A plain is a large flat area of land with very few trees on it.

Once there were 70 million buffalo on the plains.

N-COUNT

6.

You can use plain before an adjective in order to emphasize it.

The food was just plain terrible.

ADV : ADV adj [ emphasis ]

Plain is also used before a noun.

Is it love of publicity or plain stupidity on her part?

ADJ : ADJ n

7.

If a police officer is in plain clothes , he or she is wearing ordinary clothes instead of a police uniform.

Three officers in plain clothes told me to get out of the car.

plain sailing: see sailing

PHRASE : v-link PHR , PHR after v

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Английский словарь Коллинз COBUILD для изучающих язык на продвинутом уровне.