Plain song

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. 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|song — plain song, or plain|song «PLAYN SNG, SONG», noun. 1. vocal music used in the Christian church from the earliest times. Plain song is sung in unison. It is rhythmical, although the beats are not regular. 2. a melody taken as the theme for a… …   Useful english dictionary

  • plain song — plain song, or plain|song «PLAYN SNG, SONG», noun. 1. vocal music used in the Christian church from the earliest times. Plain song is sung in unison. It is rhythmical, although the beats are not regular. 2. a melody taken as the theme for a… …   Useful english dictionary

  • plain-song — 1510s, translating L. cantus planus …   Etymology dictionary

  • plain-song — noun a) The unisonous vocal music which has been used in the Christian church from its earliest centuries. b) A cantus firmus or theme chosen for contrapuntal treatment; so called because often an actual fragment of plain song …   Wiktionary

  • Plain Song —    The name given to the ancient music with which the Church service was rendered. Thus Blunt in the Annotated Prayer book, speaking of Church music says, In the remodeling of our English services, the great aim was not to discard, but to utilize …   American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  • plain-song — англ. [пле/йнсон] григорианский хорал (cantus planus) …   Словарь иностранных музыкальных терминов

  • plain-song — …   Useful english dictionary

  • PLAIN-SONG AND MEDIAEVAL MUSIC SOCIETY — английское общество, издающее, подобно Paléographie musicale (См.) фотографические факсимиле старинных литургических манускриптов (у Bern. Quaritsch в Лондоне) …   Музыкальный словарь Римана

  • 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

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