plain¹ ◙ adjective 1. not decorated or elaborate; simple or ordinary in character • 无装饰的,简易的,不复杂的;素净的,清淡的,朴素的,简朴的 »good plain food. 美味而清淡的食品。 »everyone dined at a plain wooden table. 大家都在一张简易木桌上吃饭。 without a pattern; in only one colour • 平纹的;单色的,素色的 »a plain fabric. 平纹织物。 bearing no indication as to contents or affiliation • 空白的 »donations can be put in a plain envelope. 可以把捐款放进一个空白信封中。 (of paper) without lines • (纸)无行线的 (of a person) having no pretensions; not remarkable or special • (人)朴实的;普通的,平凡的 »a plain, honest man with no nonsense about him. 一个朴实诚恳不轻浮的人。 [attrib.] (of a person) without a special title or status • (人)无头衔的,无身份的 »for years he was just plain Bill. 多年来,比尔不过是个平头老百姓。 2. easy to perceive or understand;clear • 明显的,明白的;清晰的,清楚的 »the advantages were plain to see. 优势显而易见。 »it was plain that something was very wrong. 很显然有地方出大错了。 [attrib.] (of written or spoken usage) clearly expressed, without the use of technical or abstruse terms • (书面或口头用法)表达清楚的,清新的;不用技术词汇或深奥词汇的 »written in plain English. 用朴实的英语写成。 not using concealment or deception;frank • 无遮拦的,真诚的;直截了当的,坦率的 »he recalled her plain speaking. 他回忆起她坦诚的话语。 3. (of a woman or girl) not beautiful or attractive • (妇女,少女)不漂亮的,不迷人的 »the dark-haired, rather plain woman. 长相很一般的黑发女人。 4. [attrib.] sheer; simple (used for emphasis) • [用于强调] 纯粹的;简直的 »the main problem is just plain exhaustion. 主要问题就是太疲倦了。 5. (of a knitting stitch) made by putting the needle through the front of the stitch from left to right • (针法)平针的。 --› comparepurl ◙ adverb, [informal] [非正式] 1. [as submodifier] used for emphasis • [用于强调] »perhaps the youth was just plain stupid. 或许那位青年不过是太笨了而已。 2. clearly;unequivocally • 明白地;不含糊地 »I'm finished with you, I'll tell you plain. 我们俩一刀两断了,明白告诉你。 ◙ noun 1. a large area of flat land with few trees • 平原
【IDIOMS】
◘ as plain as the nose on one's face 1. [informal] very obvious • [非正式] 非常明显,明明白白 ◘ plain and simple 1. [informal] used to emphasize the statement preceding or following • [非正式] [用于强调前面或后面的观点] 当然 ◘ plain as day 1. [informal] very clearly • [非正式] 非常明显,明明白白
【派生】
♦ plainness noun
【语源】
1. Middle English: from Old French plain, from Latin planus, from a base meaning 'flat'plain² ◙ verb 1. [no obj.] (archaic)mourn;lament • [古] 哀悼;悲痛 complain • 抱怨 emit a mournful or plaintive sound • 悲叹;哀诉
【语源】
1. Middle English: from Old French plaindre, from Latin plangere 'to lament'