Middle English Dictionary Entry
plain(e adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | plain(e adv. Also plein(e, plane & (error) plyne. |
| Etymology | From adj. For confusion with plein adv., cp. plain(e adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Evenly, smoothly; flat, level; fallen ~ with, to fall flat on (the ground); (b) sitten ~, of shoes: to fit snugly or smoothly; setten ~, install (a king) firmly (in power).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)250b/b : The rafteres beþ stronge and square and hewen playne.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4148 : Lat vs..parte nat..from this toun Til it..Be first doune bete that no thyng be seyn, But al to-gyder with the erthe pleyn Be lowe leyde.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.89 : Ne poole hit [land for vines] not, but goodly playn elonge.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)106.595 (v.2:p.156) : The fair thorugh .. for the body was even as mete as though it therefore had be special wrought .. and .. neither more ne lesse than it nedis be must, withoute pressure to lyen pleyn and iust.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.15 Tokens (Hrl 2255)27 : Grete castellys, tours maad of lym and stoon, Playn with the Erthe to grounde shal doun falle.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2269 : Loke..that they [shoes] sitte so fetisly That these rude may uttirly Merveyle, sith that they sitte so pleyn, How they come on or off ageyn.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)9768 : So was kyng salamon sett in his power playn.
2.
(a) Clearly, distinctly, plainly; explicitly, expressly; sup. plainest, most lucidly; ~ at the eie; (b) candidly, frankly, honestly; plat and ~, bluntly, openly, outright; (c) simply, in a straightforward or unadorned manner; (d) manifestly, evidently, certainly; openly, publicly.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.129 : Þis doynge semeþ fulfilde in þe laste tyme of Heraclius..as it is innermore pleyn iwrite [Higd.(2): schal be expressede; L planum erit] after Heraclius tyme.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.977 : Hou that this vice is forto drede, In thevangile it telleth plein.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9300 : I sal you openliker sai..I sal vndo it yow al plain [Frf: plyne; Trin-C: pleyne].
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)689 : Of þys ryȝtwys saȝ Salamon playn How kyntly oure [?read: Koyntise onoure] con aquyle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3701 : Hir sorwes..Rehersed ben ful openly and wel..& wryte þer ful pleyn.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5663 : That may these clerkis seyn and see In Boece of Consolacioun, Where it is maked mencioun Of oure contre pleyn at the ye, By teching of philosophie.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)27/30 : She feersly strangeled her childer tweyne; Therfore greete ire I defende the pleyne.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)28.224 : In Caldiens lond..there was his hawntyng, I telle ȝow pleyn.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)29.444 : Cayin, where is thy brothir, sey me pleyn.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2042 : Þis..holi writ hase tald..In þe dedes of þe appostil playne.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)6644 : How many ȝere in certayn, I fand na boke þat tellis playn.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)40/180 : Caym þou hast kyllyd, I telle þe ful pleyn.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)53/63 : In þe secund tabyl be wretyn ful pleyn þe tother vij [commandments].
- c1475(c1447) Epitaph Duke Glo.(Hrl 2251)31 : He..dide his peyne To sue thi steppis folowyng the scripture By dauid seyde and notified ful pleyne.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)1.3.4a : I haue weel and playne..herd and vnderstande thi wordes.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)77 : Yet anaxagoras wrote playnyst of theym al, In his boke of conuercions naturalle.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.886 : He Moste biknowe and tellen plat and pleyn Fro nyght to nyght in what place he had leyn.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.627 : The science of Astronomie..Withoute which, to telle plein, Alle oþre science is in vein.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.637 : Wel oghte I of swich murmur taken hede..Though they nat pleyn speke in myn audience.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)1269 : Thy modyr knoweth bettere..how that the be-gat..Bettere thanne my modyr, j sey ȝow pleyn.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)1286 : Ȝif thou konne proven that thou seist pleyn, Thy modyr from brenneng schalt thou save.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)13641 : And for he proued hym playn how he his myse suld mende, In þe tempyll was he slayn.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)869/3 : I warne you playne, he that ys nat clene of hys synnes, he shall nat se the mysteryes of oure Lorde Jesu Cryste.
- c1475 Wisd.(Folg V.a.354)992 : Wyth wepynge ey and hert contryte To owr modyr, Holy Chyrche, I wyll resort, My leff pleyn schewenge to here syght.
c
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.360 : But at the laste, to tellen short and pleyn, The sergeantz of the toun of Rome hem soghte.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.790 : This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, That ech of yow..shal telle tales tweye.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.1594 : He schal pronounce His tale plein withoute frounce.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)82/2429 : A good surgeoun, the which is callid playne..Hath heelid me of my grete grefis sore.
d
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.284 : Tho shewed hym Cecile al open and pleyn That alle ydoles nys but a thyng in veyn.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)11230 : Right als..þe sun beme Gais thoru þe glas..Wit-vten brest, right sua al plain..he [Jesus] com and yede, Saufand his moder hir maidenhede.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)266 : We nete Neuere..but ȝif that god vs hate, ful pleyn, and this torment Suffreth vs to haue.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)2994 : Sore uilloined gan hym hold certain, When a soule man lust with hym were plain.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.92 : Within iiii wekes was all this done full playn.
3.
(a) Directly, immediately, at once; seien ~ forth, to recite (psalms) in succession without intervening antiphons; (b) ?exclusively, only.
Associated quotations
a
- c1400 St.Anne(1) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)1407 : He..bad þam go To trusse & all playn.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)18/19 : Þe salmis sal be sung wid antefens, yef þe cuuent be mikil; And yef þai be fa, saie it plane forde.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)160 : The pastour aspide that moreygne, and to his lord he wente, ful pleyne, and told hym of that aventure.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)11815 : Kyng Iosaphat, he passed playn to ierusalem, his awn Cyte.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)237/187 : Vn-losne þat Asse and brynge it to me pleyn.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)920 : Many ladyes..Went to a company with the Countesse plain, Ech welcomyng hir after ther degre.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)2557 : Fro thens departed, without resting, plain Vnto hys fader faste he cam rennyng.
b
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)2009 : Al it sal be puruayd playne At þe ordinance of þeir souerayne.