plain

adj.

1. 清楚的；明显的；浅白的
   easy to see or understand
   1. He made it plain that we should leave.
      他明确表示要我们离开。
   2. She made her annoyance plain.
      她满脸不耐烦。
   3. The facts were plain to see .
      事实显而易见。
   4. It was a rip-off, plain and simple .
      这是一个不折不扣的冒牌货。
2. 坦诚的；直率的；直接的
   not trying to trick anyone; honest and direct
   1. The plain fact is that nobody really knows.
      事实很明显，没有人真正了解。
   2. a politician with a reputation for plain speaking
      说话直率出了名的一个政治人物
3. 不尚修饰的；朴素的；简单的
   not decorated or complicated; simple
   1. a plain but elegant dress
      朴素淡雅的连衣裙
   2. plain food
      清淡的食物
   3. The interior of the church was plain and simple.
      教堂内部朴素无华。
   4. plain yogurt (= without sugar or fruit)
      原味酸奶
4. 素的；无花纹的；单色的
   without marks or a pattern on it
   1. covers in plain or printed cotton
      单色或印花的罩布
   2. Write on plain paper (= without lines) .
      用无格白纸书写。
5. 极普通的；平庸的；平凡的
   used to emphasize that sth is very ordinary, not special in any way
   1. You don't need any special skills for this job, just plain common sense.
      这项工作不需要任何特殊技能，只要有普通常识就够了。
6. 相貌平平的；无姿色的
   not beautiful or attractive
7. （编织）平针的，平纹的
   describing a simple stitch used in knitting

noun

1. 平原
   a large area of flat land
   1. the flat coastal plain of Thassos
      萨索斯岛平坦的滨海平原
   2. the Great Plains
      北美洲大平原

adv.

1. （用于强调）简直，绝对地
   used to emphasize how bad, stupid, etc. sth is
   1. plain stupid/wrong
      简直愚蠢至极；绝对错误

1. ADJ 单色的；素色的；无花纹（或图案、字迹）的
   A plain object, surface, or fabric is entirely in one colour and has no pattern, design, or writing on it.
   1. In general, a plain carpet makes a room look bigger...
      一般来说，单色的地毯使房间显得更宽敞。
   2. He placed the paper in a plain envelope...
      他把论文装进一个空白信封里。
   3. He wore a plain blue shirt, open at the collar.
      他穿一件素净的蓝色衬衫，领口敞着。
2. ADJ-GRADED 朴素的；简朴的
   Something that is plain is very simple in style.
   1. Bronwen's dress was plain but it hung well on her...
      布朗温的长裙虽然朴素，却很合身。
   2. It was a plain, grey stone house, distinguished mainly by its largely unspoilt simplicity.
      这是一幢简朴的灰石房子，主要以其天然简约的风格显得与众不同。
3. See also: 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. plain-spoken
4. ADJ-GRADED （相貌）平常的，不好看的
   If you describe someone as plain, you think they look ordinary and not at all beautiful.
   1. ...a shy, rather plain girl with a pale complexion.
      肤色苍白、相貌平平的害羞女孩
5. N-COUNT 平原；（几乎没有树木的）大片平地
   A plain is a large flat area of land with very few trees on it.
   1. Once there were 70 million buffalo on the plains.
      北美大平原上曾有过7,000万头野牛。
6. ADV （用于形容词前加强语气）显然，完全地
   You can use plain before an adjective in order to emphasize it.
   1. The food was just plain terrible.
      这食物实在太难吃了。
   2. Plain is also used before a noun.
      
   3. Is it love of publicity or plain stupidity on her part?
      她是喜欢抛头露面，还是太过愚蠢了呢？
7. ADJ （尤在与另一个更加不同寻常或让人印象深刻的名字比较时表示强调）普通的，平凡的
   You can use plain before a name to emphasize how simple and ordinary it is, especially when you are comparing it with another more unusual or impressive name.
   1. Why couldn't they call you plain Ann or Alice like the rest?
      他们为什么不能像其他人一样，给你取个普普通通的安或艾丽斯的名字呢？
8. PHRASE （警察）穿便衣的
   If a police officer is in plain clothes, he or she is wearing ordinary clothes instead of a police uniform.
   1. Three officers in plain clothes told me to get out of the car.
      3名便衣警察让我下车。
9. plain sailing → see: sailing

1. Use a belt to accessorise a plain dress.
   用腰带来装点一件素裙。
2. The Cavalry were exercising on Salisbury Plain.
   装甲部队在索尔兹伯里平原进行演习。
3. You can often choose between plain white or coloured and patterned scarves.
   常可在纯白色或带图案的彩色围巾中作出选择。
4. The Shakers believed that furniture should be plain, simple, useful, practical and of sound construction
   震颤派教徒认为家具应当朴素、简单、有用、实用，并且结构合理。
5. She swapped her plain suit for an absurdly girlie dress
   她脱下了朴素的套装，换上了一身古怪的少女装。
6. It lies between the plain and the sea at an oblique angle to the coastline.
   它位于平原与大海之间，跟海岸线形成一个斜角。
7. In general, a plain carpet makes a room look bigger
   一般来说，单色的地毯使房间显得更宽敞。
8. He placed the paper in a plain envelope
   他把论文装进一个空白信封里。
9. He wore a plain blue shirt, open at the collar.
   他穿一件素净的蓝色衬衫，领口敞着。
10. Bronwen's dress was plain but it hung well on her
    布朗温的长裙虽然朴素，却很合身。
11. It was a plain, grey stone house, distinguished mainly by its largely unspoilt simplicity.
    这是一幢简朴的灰石房子，主要以其天然简约的风格显得与众不同。
12. It was plain to him that I was having a nervous breakdown
    他能明显地看出我快要精神崩溃了。
13. He's made it plain that he loves the game and wants to be involved still.
    他明确表示自己热爱这项运动，并仍想参与其中。
14. Once there were 70 million buffalo on the plains.
    北美大平原上曾有过7,000万头野牛。
15. The food was just plain terrible.
    这食物实在太难吃了。
16. Why couldn't they call you plain Ann or Alice like the rest?
    他们为什么不能像其他人一样，给你取个普普通通的安或艾丽斯的名字呢？
17. Three officers in plain clothes told me to get out of the car.
    3名便衣警察让我下车。
18. Pregnancy wasn't all plain sailing and once again there were problems
    孕期并非一帆风顺，这不，又出现问题了。
19. We know it won't be plain sailing at Wembley because there are no easy games at this level.
    我们知道在温布利不会顺风顺水，因为在这一级别就没有轻松的比赛。
20. Patterson pointed toward a plain cardboard box beneath a long wooden table.
    帕特森指着长木桌下的一个普通的纸板箱。
21. It is plain to see we will not have anything to eat yet again.
    很明显我们又将没有任何东西可吃了。
22. Our cadres must set an example of plain living and hard work.
    我们的干部必须艰苦奋斗，以身作则。
23. Little mountain stream is dashing down to the plain.
    小山涧奔腾而下，流向平原。
24. Derricks are scattered here and there on the boundless plain.
    在一望无际的原野上散布着一座座井架。
25. This is plain to everybody.
    这是大家都明白的。
26. He set us an example of plain living.
    他为我们树立了简朴生活的榜样。
27. Her dress is severely plain.
    她的衣着很简朴。
28. Plain and simple clothes are appropriate for school wear.
    朴素的服装适合在学校里穿。
29. She has a plain face.
    她面相平常。
30. The operation was plain sailing.
    手术进行得顺利。

  plain blunt candid direct frank【导航词义：坦率的】

  plain adj. 坦白的，直率的

〔辨析〕强调坦诚的、如实表达所思所想的。

  blunt adj. 耿直的，不客气的

〔辨析〕强调直言不讳的，即便可能使别人不悦。

  candid adj. 坦诚的，直言不讳的

〔辨析〕强调直率的，即使事实令人不舒服或尴尬也要直言相告，不加以隐瞒。

  direct adj. 率直的，直截了当的

〔辨析〕强调不拐弯抹角的。

  frank adj. 坦率的，坦诚的

〔辨析〕强调有话直说的，不隐瞒自己的观点、意见等。

  plain simple unadorned【导航词义：简单的，朴素的】

  plain adj. 简单的，朴素的

〔辨析〕指没有添加其他东西的，或没有装饰的。

  simple adj. 简单的；简朴的，朴素的

〔辨析〕指容易做或理解的，也指没有过多装饰或没有添加多余之物的。

  unadorned adj. 〈书〉简朴的，朴素的

〔辨析〕指没有多余或特殊装饰的。

adj.

be plain sailing

• 顺利；一帆风顺
  to be simple and free from trouble

in plain English

• 用平白的言语（或文字）
  simply and clearly expressed, without using technical language

(as) plain as a pikestaff

(as) plain as day

(as) plain as the nose on your face

• 一清二楚；一目了然；显而易见
  very obvious

noun

1. a basic knitting stitch

   Synonym:    knitknit stitchplain stitch

2. extensive tract of level open land
   1. they emerged from the woods onto a vast open plain
   2. he longed for the fields of his youth

   Synonym:    fieldchampaign

verb

1. express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
   1. My mother complains all day
   2. She has a lot to kick about

   Synonym:    complainkicksound offquetchkvetch

adj

1. lacking embellishment or ornamentation
   1. a plain hair style
   2. unembellished white walls
   3. functional architecture featuring stark unornamented concrete

   Synonym:    barespareunembellishedunornamented

2. lacking in physical beauty or proportion
   1. a homely child
   2. several of the buildings were downright homely
   3. a plain girl with a freckled face

   Synonym:    homely

3. free from any effort to soften to disguise
   1. the plain and unvarnished truth
   2. the unvarnished candor of old people and children

   Synonym:    unvarnished

4. clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
   1. the effects of the drought are apparent to anyone who sees the parched fields
   2. evident hostility
   3. manifest disapproval
   4. patent advantages
   5. made his meaning plain
   6. it is plain that he is no reactionary
   7. in plain view

   Synonym:    apparentevidentmanifestpatentunmistakable

5. lacking patterns especially in color

   Synonym:    unpatterned

6. not elaborate or elaborated
   1. plain food
   2. stuck to the plain facts
   3. a plain blue suit
   4. a plain rectangular brick building

7. not mixed with extraneous elements
   1. plain water
   2. sheer wine
   3. not an unmixed blessing

   Synonym:    sheerunmingledunmixed

adv

1. unmistakably (`plain' is often used informally for `plainly')
   1. the answer is obviously wrong
   2. she was in bed and evidently in great pain
   3. he was manifestly too important to leave off the guest list
   4. it is all patently nonsense
   5. she has apparently been living here for some time
   6. I thought he owned the property, but apparently not
   7. You are plainly wrong
   8. he is plain stubborn

   Synonym:    obviouslyevidentlymanifestlypatentlyapparentlyplainly