Plainest

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Plain \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
            conspicious 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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