Plain



GRE TOEFL 考研

解释

GRE 红宝书

• adj. 简单的;清楚的 n. 平原
• ［英］ adj. 简单的 ( simple) ; 清楚的 ( clear) ; n. 平原 ( a large stretch of flat land)
• ［例］ She made her annoyance plain.

Webster Collegiate

I. intransitive verb

• Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French pleindre, plaindre, from Latin plangere to lament — more at plaint
• Date: 14th century
• archaic complain

II. noun

• Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin planum, from neuter of planus flat, plain — more at floor
• Date: 14th century
• 1.
  • a. an extensive area of level or rolling treeless country
  • b. a broad unbroken expanse
• 2. something free from artifice, ornament, or extraneous matter

III. adjective

• Date: 14th century
• 1. archaic even, level
• 2. lacking ornament ; undecorated
• 3. free of extraneous matter ; pure
• 4. free of impediments to view ; unobstructed
• 5.
  • a.
    • (1) evident to the mind or senses ; obvious <it's perfectly plain that they will resist>
    • (2) clear <let me make my meaning plain>
  • b. marked by outspoken candor ; free from duplicity or subtlety ; blunt <plain talk>
• 6.
  • a. belonging to the masses ; common
  • b. lacking special distinction or affectation ; ordinary
• 7. characterized by simplicity ; not complicated <plain home-cooked meals>
• 8. lacking beauty or ugliness
• Synonyms: see common, evident, frank
• ? plainly adverb
• ? plainness noun

IV. adverb

• Date: 14th century
• in a plain manner ; without obscurity or ambiguity <saw them clearly and told you plain — American Documentation>

V. adverb

• Etymology: partly from Middle English plein entire, complete, from Anglo-French, full, from Latin plenus; partly from ［sup］4［/sup］plain — more at full
• Date: 1535
• absolutely 1 <it plain galled me to pay fancy prices — F. R. Buckley>

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