1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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}. 
 
  The  crooked  shall  be  made  straight,  and  the  rough 
  places  plain.  --Isa.  xl  4. 
 
  2.  Open  clear;  unencumbered;  equal;  fair. 
 
  Our  troops  beat  an  army  in  plain  fight.  --Felton. 
 
  3.  Not  intricate  or  difficult;  evident;  manifest;  obvious; 
  clear;  unmistakable.  ``'T  is  a  plain  case.''  --Shak. 
 
  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. 
 
  {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. 
 
  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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