plain
plain — adjective
1. simple in appearance, taste, or form, without decoration, pattern, or extra thin
simple in appearance, taste, or form, without decoration, pattern, or extra things added.
Maya wore a plain white shirt to the school concert.
collocation: plain shirt
We ordered plain noodles for Leo because his stomach hurt.
collocation: plain food
The hotel room looked plain, but it was clean and quiet.
Dad likes plain yogurt with fruit instead of sweet flavors.
- simple
broad and neutral; can describe style, design, or structure
- undecorated
focuses on the lack of ornament rather than food or taste
- pure
fits best when nothing has been mixed in, especially with food or materials
文法句型
plain + clothes / room / food / design
用法筆記
Common with clothes, rooms, and food. Distinguish from adjective/8 NOTHING SPECIAL: this sense is about having no added decoration or flavor, not about being low in importance or interest.
2. so easy to notice or understand that it does not need further explanation.
so easy to notice or understand that it does not need further explanation.
By sunset, it was plain that the hikers were lost.
it is plain that + clause
The anger on Rosa's face was plain to everyone.
be plain to + person
After one look at the wet floor, the danger was plain.
After the freezer leaked, it became plain why the shop closed early.
文法句型
it is plain that + clause
be plain to + person
become plain + wh-clause
用法筆記
Often appears in fixed patterns such as 'it is plain that ...' and 'plain to everyone'. Distinguish from adjective/7 OPEN AND HONEST, which describes the way someone speaks rather than how clear a fact is.
3. used before a noun to stress that something is total, complete, or beyond doubt.
used before a noun to stress that something is total, complete, or beyond doubt.
Calling that broken chair an antique was plain nonsense.
plain + noun for strong emphasis
Missing both morning trains was plain bad luck.
Tom's story about walking Mars was a plain lie.
Paying twice for one meal was plain stupidity.
- partial
not total or complete
文法句型
plain + lie / nonsense / waste / stupidity
用法筆記
This emphatic use is mainly before nouns. Distinguish from adverb/1 COMPLETELY, which usually strengthens a verb or adjective instead.
4. describing paper with a blank surface and no printed lines or pattern on it.
describing paper with a blank surface and no printed lines or pattern on it.
Please use plain paper for the drawing test today.
collocation: plain paper
Nora wrote the note on plain paper from the printer tray.
The teacher handed out plain sheets for our quick map sketch.
Ben wrapped the class photo in plain paper before mailing it.
文法句型
plain + paper / sheet / card
用法筆記
Mostly used with paper, sheets, cards, and similar writing material.
5. used to show that someone or something is entirely ordinary and has nothing spec
used to show that someone or something is entirely ordinary and has nothing special about it.
It was just a plain wooden table, not a family treasure.
plain for something ordinary, not special
Omar chose the plain gray cup instead of the gold one.
From the bus window, the village looked plain beside the bright beach town.
Nina was a plain office worker, not a television star.
- special
different from the ordinary in a positive or important way
- remarkable
noticeably unusual or impressive
文法句型
plain + house / dress / town / cup
用法筆記
This sense judges something as ordinary or not remarkable. Distinguish from adjective/1 NO EXTRA DETAILS, which is about a lack of decoration or added parts.
6. used mainly after look or seem to say someone's face, especially a female person
used mainly after look or seem to say someone's face, especially a female person's, is not attractive.
Grace thought she looked plain beside her two older cousins.
plain after linking verb about appearance
The film unfairly calls the older sister plain beside Emma.
At school, Mira worried that boys would think she looked plain.
In the novel, the prince first thinks the farmer's daughter looks plain.
- unattractive
a direct and neutral description
- ordinary-looking
softer and less judgmental
文法句型
look plain
be plain
用法筆記
This use can sound old-fashioned or unkind. A more neutral modern phrase is 'ordinary-looking'.
7. used before words such as 'girl' or 'woman' to describe someone whose looks are
used before words such as 'girl' or 'woman' to describe someone whose looks are ordinary rather than striking.
The writer describes Anna as a plain girl from the village.
a plain + girl / woman
In the play, the plain daughter surprises everyone with her sharp mind.
The matchmaker dismissed Lily as a plain young woman.
The story begins with a plain farm girl in brown shoes.
- ordinary-looking
a gentler modern description
- unattractive
more direct and more general
- beautiful
having striking beauty
文法句型
a plain + girl / woman / daughter
用法筆記
Mostly found before nouns in descriptions of female characters. Distinguish from adjective/5 LACKING BEAUTY, which can be used after a linking verb, as in 'she looked plain'.
8. speaking in an open way, without hiding what you mean or trying to fool people.
speaking in an open way, without hiding what you mean or trying to fool people.
Bea gave me a plain answer instead of a polite excuse.
collocation: plain answer
The doctor was plain about the risks before surgery.
be plain about + subject
Coach Lin's plain words upset the team, but nobody felt fooled.
Please be plain with Dad if the roof repairs will cost more.
文法句型
be plain with + person
be plain about + subject
用法筆記
Often used when someone speaks directly about a difficult truth. It can suggest honesty, but also a lack of softening.
plain — noun
1. a wide stretch of open, mostly level land with few trees.
a wide stretch of open, mostly level land with few trees.
Wild horses ran across the plain after the morning rain.
across the plain
From the hill, we could see miles of dry plain.
The train crossed a wide plain before reaching the mountains.
Many plains turn green after heavy spring storms.
文法句型
across the plain
on the plains
用法筆記
Often used for large open areas in geography, travel writing, and history.
2. the basic knitting stitch made by drawing the yarn through from the front.
the basic knitting stitch made by drawing the yarn through from the front.
This scarf is made mostly in plain, with two blue stripes.
plain in knitting instructions
Grandma taught me plain before she showed me purl.
plain and purl
This mitten pattern starts with six rows of plain on thin needles.
After one hour of plain, Nina's scarf finally looked even.
- knit stitch
the clearer modern term in many knitting guides
- purl
the basic stitch paired with plain in knitting
文法句型
rows of plain
plain and purl
用法筆記
A specialized knitting term. Learners are more likely to meet it in patterns than in everyday conversation.
plain — adverb
1. completely or in a very obvious way, used to make a statement stronger.
completely or in a very obvious way, used to make a statement stronger.
Jake plain forgot my birthday until the next morning.
plain + verb
That old motor is plain too weak for this boat.
plain + adjective
The dog plain refuses to eat from the metal bowl.
We were plain lucky to catch the last bus home.
- absolutely
stronger and more common in standard English
- simply
can also work as an intensifier, though often in a more neutral tone
- downright
informal and emphatic, often before negative adjectives
文法句型
plain + verb
plain + adjective
用法筆記
Usually placed before the word it strengthens. Distinguish from adjective/4 ABSOLUTE, which appears before a noun such as 'lie' or 'nonsense'.
plain — verb
1. to speak in a dissatisfied way about something, often more than once.
to speak in a dissatisfied way about something, often more than once.
The passengers began to plain about the delay as rain hit windows.
plain about + problem
At lunch, Mara plained to the waiter about her cold tea.
plain to + person
The boys always plain about carrying wet tents at summer camp.
After two night shifts, Ellen plained that the job left no rest.
- praise
to speak positively instead of showing dissatisfaction
文法句型
plain about + problem
plain to + person
plain that + clause
用法筆記
Now much rarer than 'complain'. It usually takes the same patterns, especially 'plain about' and 'plain to'.