Plain sewing

Plain sewing
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}. [1913 Webster]

The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. --Isa. xl. 4. [1913 Webster]

2. Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair. [1913 Webster]

Our troops beat an army in plain fight. --Felton. [1913 Webster]

3. Not intricate or difficult; evident; manifest; obvious; clear; unmistakable. ``'T is a plain case.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Level; flat; smooth; open; artless; unaffected; undisguised; frank; sincere; honest; candid; ingenuous; unembellished; downright; blunt; clear; simple; distinct; manifest; obvious; apparent. See {Manifest}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plain battle — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plain chant — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plain chart — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plain dealer — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plain dealing — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plain molding — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plain song — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plain speaking — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sewing — or stitching is the fastening of cloth, leather, furs, bark, or other flexible materials, using needle and thread. Its use is nearly universal among human populations and dates back to Paleolithic times (30,000 BC). Sewing predates the weaving of …   Wikipedia

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