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