| 释义 |
plainness|ˈpleɪnnɪs|
Forms: α. 4 pleynes, 4–5 pleynesse, 4–7 playnesse, 5–6 plainesse, playnes, 6 plaines, playness, pleines. β. See plain a.1 and -ness.
[ME. play-, pleynesse, a. OF. plai(g)nesse, planece flatness, smoothness, plane surface:—L. plānitiēs, -ia a flat surface, f. plānus flat. But the variants in -nes, -ness show that the word was soon associated with native formations having this suffix, with which it is fully identified in the β forms plainness, etc. (Cf. finesse, fineness.)]
The quality or condition of being plain, in various senses of the adj.
†1. Flatness, smoothness, evenness, levelness.
α13..Guy Warw. (A.) clxvi. 8 Sir Gij drouȝ out þat swerd anon, & alle þe pleynes þer-of it schon. 1388Wyclif 2 Macc. xiv. 33, Y schal drawe doun this temple of God in to pleynesse. 1483Cath. Angl. 282/2 A Playnes, planicies. 1551T. Wilson Logike (1580) 11 Suche qualities as..hardnesse, softnesse, roughnesse, plainesse. 1578Banister Hist. Man i. 21 With more flat and equal playness.
βc1374Chaucer Boeth. v. metr. iv. 12 (Camb. MS), Lettres emprientyd in the smothenesse or in the pleynnesse [B.M. Add. plainesse; ed. 1602 plainenesse] of the table of wex. 1482Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 57 The playnnes of that place was so repletyd and fulfylde withe wormys. 1573–80Baret Alv. P 441 The plainenesse, or euennesse of the sea. 1617Moryson Itin. iii. 102 The plainenes of the Countrie, and the frequency of Lakes and Fennes, doe more increase the cold. 1704Hearne Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 399 The plainness and evenness of their Country.
2. Openness, honesty, or straightforwardness of conduct; frankness or directness of language.
α1556J. Heywood Spider & F. xxxii. 24 You haue gifte of pleines sterne and stoute. 1639N. N. tr. Du Bosq's Compl. Woman i. 17 Where as then was no other sinne in society then lying, a genuine playnesse..were enough.
βa1548Hall Chron., Hen. VII 56 Of the same vertue and honest playnnes [1568 Grafton plainenesse] was Ihon Morton archebishop of Caunterbury. 1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. iv. iv. 108 Whil'st some with cunning guild their copper crownes, With truth and plainnesse I doe weare mine bare. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. (1721) I. Essay 207 We see in one the Plainness of a down right Countryman, and in the other, something of a rustick Majesty. 1778F. Burney Evelina (1791) II. v. 40 He forced me to express my displeasure with equal plainness. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 336 My plainness of speech makes them hate me.
†b. euphemism for Discourteous behaviour or treatment; rudeness. Obs. rare.
1465Paston Lett. II. 208 They know not the pleynesse that hathe ben done in such thyngys as hathe ben don in her namys.
†c. the plainness: the plain truth. Obs.
1477Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 40 So may not a man be wele counseylled of hys frende withoute he telle hym the playnesse of hys cause. c1530Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 298, I pray you speke, and shew me the playnes. 1537Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 57 If the said deposicons had been ernestly takyn, the plaines of that mater might haue been easely known.
3. Clearness to the perception or comprehension; lucidity of exposition, meaning, or expression.
1529More Dyaloge i. Wks. 171/2 For the more playnnesse let vs put one example or twaine. 1570Billingsley Euclid i. Introd. 1 The demonstrations and proofes..by reason of their playnnes neede no greate declaration. 1671Salmon Syn. Med. Introd. 2 Little with Plainness is better than much with Obscurity. 1867Shedd Homiletics iii. (1869) 55 This plainness of style is the product of sagacity and keenness.
4. Absence of or freedom from ornament, ostentatious display, or luxury; simplicity.
1581Marbeck Bk. of Notes 655 In their fare, apparell,..and furniture of warre, they vse a plainenesse. 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. ii. Disc. vii. 36 The understandings of men are no more satisfied by a pompous magnificence, then by a cheap plainnesse. 1763H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. III. ii. 93 The excess of plainness in our cathedral disappoints the spectator after so rich an approach. 1848Lytton Harold ii. i, These new comers were clad with extreme plainness.
†b. Simplicity (as opp. to complexity). Obs.
1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. ii. vi. 68 This Quadrant..I hold to be as necessary an Instrument as Seamen can use, in respect of its plainness.
5. Lack of beauty; homeliness; ugliness.
1829Lytton Devereux i. v, This was far more than sufficient to atone for the comparative plainness of my person. 1868J. H. Blunt Ref. Ch. Eng. I. 105 ‘A very beautiful complexion’, which by no means indicates plainness. |
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