PLAINLY

plainly, simply

(adverb) in a simple manner; without extravagance or embellishment; “she was dressed plainly”; “they lived very simply”

obviously, evidently, manifestly, patently, apparently, plainly, plain

(adverb) unmistakably (‘plain’ is often used informally for ‘plainly’); “the answer is obviously wrong”; “she was in bed and evidently in great pain”; “he was manifestly too important to leave off the guest list”; “it is all patently nonsense”; “she has apparently been living here for some time”; “I thought he owned the property, but apparently not”; “You are plainly wrong”; “he is plain stubborn”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adverb

plainly (comparative plainlier or more plainly, superlative plainliest or most plainly)

In a plain manner; simply; basically.

Obviously; clearly.

Synonyms

• (obviously, clearly): expressly, unambiguously; see also explicitly or obviously

Source: Wiktionary

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Plain"ly, adv.

Definition: In a plain manner; clearly.

PLAIN

Plain, v. i. Etym: [OE. playne, pleyne, fr. F. plaindre. See Plaint.]

Definition: To lament; to bewail; to complain. [Archaic & Poetic] Milton. We with piteous heart unto you pleyne. Chaucer.

Plain, v. t.

Definition: To lament; to mourn over; as, to plain a loss. [Archaic & Poetic] Sir J. Harrington.

Plain, a. [Compar. Plainer; superl. Plainest.] Etym: [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.

Plain, adv.

Definition: In a plain manner; plainly. "To speak short and pleyn." Chaucer. "To tell you plain." Shak.

Plain, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. plaigne, F. plaine. See Plain, a.]

1. Level land; usually, an open field or a broad stretch of land with an even surface, or a surface little varied by inequalities; as, the plain of Jordan; the American plains, or prairies. Descending fro the mountain into playn. Chaucer. Him the Ammonite Worshiped in Rabba and her watery plain. Milton.

2. A field of battle. [Obs.] Arbuthnot. Lead forth my soldiers to the plain. Shak.

Plain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plained (; p. pr. & vb. n. Plaining.] Etym: [Cf. Plane, v.]

1. To plane or level; to make plain or even on the surface. [R.] We would rake Europe rather, plain the East. Wither.

2. To make plain or manifest; to explain. What's dumb in show, I'll plain in speech. Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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