From Middle English pleyn, borrowed from Anglo-Norman pleyn, playn, Middle French plain, plein, and Old French plain, from Latin plānus (“flat, even, level, plain”). Doublet of llano, piano, plane, and plan.
Meanings
(archaic, regional) Flat, level.
The Vampyre Bat. Tailless bat with the nose plain, and the flying-membrane divided between the thighs. 1790, George Shaw, Speculum Linnaeanum, sive Zoologiae Linnaeanae illustratio:
The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 40:4:
Simple, unaltered. ▸ Ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation; unembellished.
a plain tune
The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone, essentially what today we might term a frameless magnifying glass or plain glass paperweight. 2013 September–October, Henry Petroski, “The Evolution of Eyeglasses”, in American Scientist:
He was dressed simply in plain black clothes.
Simple, unaltered. ▸ Of just one colour; lacking a pattern.
a plain pink polycotton skirt
Simple, unaltered. ▸ Simple in habits or qualities; unsophisticated, not exceptional, ordinary.
plain yet pious Christians 1654, Henry Hammond, Of Fundamentals:
They're just plain people like you or me.
the plain people 1861, Abraham Lincoln, Message to Congress in Special Session, July 4th:
(of food) Simple, unaltered. ▸ Having only few ingredients, or no additional ingredients or seasonings; not elaborate, without toppings or extras.
Would you like a poppy bagel or a plain bagel?
Simple, unaltered. ▸ Containing no extended or nonprinting characters (especially in plain text).
Obvious. ▸ Evident to one's senses or reason; manifest, clear, unmistakable.
In fact, by excommunication or persuasion, by impetuosity of driving or adroitness in leading, this Abbot, it is now becoming plain everywhere, is a man that generally remains master at last. 1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “ch. XV, Practical — Devotional”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk):
Open. ▸ Honest and without deception; candid, open; blunt.
Let me be plain with you: I don't like her.
an honest mind, and plain, he must speak truth c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]:
The Quaker was no sooner assured by this fellow of the birth and low fortune of Jones, than all compassion for him vanished; and the honest plain man went home fired with no less indignation than a duke would have felt at receiving an affront from such a person. 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
[VV]e are able with playne demonſtration to proue, and vvith reaſon to perſvvade that in tymes paſt our fayth vvas alike, that then vve preached thinges correſpondent vnto the forme of faith already published of vs, ſo that none in this behalfe can repyne or gaynesay vs. 1577, Socrates Scholasticus [i.e., Socrates of Constantinople], “Constantinus the Emperour Summoneth the Nicene Councell, it was Held at Nicæa a Citie of Bythnia for the Debatinge of the Controuersie about the Feast of Easter, and the Rootinge out of the Heresie of Arius”, in Eusebius Pamphilus, Socrates Scholasticus, Evagrius Scholasticus, Dorotheus, translated by Meredith Hanmer, The Avncient Ecclesiasticall Histories of the First Six Hundred Yeares after Christ, Wrytten in the Greeke Tongue by Three Learned Historiographers, Eusebius, Socrates, and Euagrius. …, book I (The First Booke of the Ecclesiasticall Historye of Socrates Scholasticvs), imprinted at London: By Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blackefriers by Ludgate, →OCLC, page 225:
Open. ▸ Clear; unencumbered; equal; fair.
Our troops beat an army in plain fight. 1711, Henry Felton, Dissertation on Reading the Classics:
Not unusually beautiful; unattractive.
Throughout high school she worried that she had a rather plain face.
Up to that time the girl had never really done her hair, and she regarded boots merely as things to protect the feet. Suddenly it dawned on her that she was considered plain and that she diffused an atmosphere of intellectual frost. 1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
ru одноцветный (of just one colour) · fr nature (unseasoned) · pt simples (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · cmn 平的 (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ajp سادة (of just one colour) · it al naturale (unseasoned) · mi māmore (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es plenario (of just one colour) · is hreinn (unseasoned) · ja 普段の (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · kea kran (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es mondo (unseasoned) · fr uni (of just one colour) · ota بسیط (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ko 소박한 (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · de schlicht (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · lad plano (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ru просто́й (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · mi kōkau (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · tr sade (unseasoned) · es mondo (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es con solamente caracteres normales (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · ja 平 (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · sh је̏дноста̄ван (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · fi selvä (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · fi tavallinen (unseasoned) · tl payak (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · pt simples (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · ru простой (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · mg sàha (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ca simple (unseasoned) · ca net (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · mnc ᠪᡳᡤᠠᠨ (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · az sadə (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · tr sade (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ca natural (unseasoned) · ga simplí (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · sh òbičan (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es sin caracteres especiales (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · hy պարզ (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · pl prosty (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es natural (unseasoned) · fi tavallinen (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ota تربیهسز (unseasoned) · ca senzill (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · lad sémplise (Monastir) (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · eu lau (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · nl kaal (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · ru обычный (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · pdt schlicht (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ru обыкнове́нный (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · sv enfärgad (of just one colour) · it in bianco (unseasoned) · es pleno (of just one colour) · kmr sade (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · kmr xwerû (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · pt insípido (unseasoned) · pl prosty (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · sh о̀бичан (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · it semplice (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · cmn 簡單 /简单 (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · cmn 原味 (unseasoned) · sk obyčajný (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · az saya (of just one colour) · fi yksinkertainen (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · th ธรรมดา (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · sk bez príchute (unseasoned) · es puro (unseasoned) · grc λιτός (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · mi tōkau (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · nn einsfarga (of just one colour) · tl linso (of just one colour) · es a palo seco (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · la non condītus (unseasoned) · th งั้น ๆ (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · de Natur- (unseasoned) · es sencillo (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · gd sìmplidh (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · bg прост (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · pl nieprzyprawiony (unseasoned) · nb ensfarga (of just one colour) · es libre de caracteres especiales (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · pl zwykły (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ary بسيط (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es desabrido (unseasoned) · ga pléineáilte (unseasoned) · hu egyszerű (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ar بَسِيط (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es mero (of just one colour) · cs prostý (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · pl jednolity (of just one colour) · pl zwyczajny (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ota ساده (unseasoned) · bg обикновен (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es llano (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · cmn 平常 (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · tl liso (of just one colour) · pt natural (unseasoned) · ga pléineáilte (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ja 質素な (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · tl simple (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ota ساده (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · eu apal (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · fi maustamaton (unseasoned) · tl pangkaraniwan (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es enterizo (of just one colour) · kea kran (unseasoned) · fr simple texte (computing: containing no non-printing characters) · ja 平易な (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · sl navaden (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · bg едноцветен (of just one colour) · cs obyčejný (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · nl eenvoudig (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es entero (of just one colour) · fr simple (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ja 普通の (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · cmn 質素 /质素 (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · mi taramore (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · es sencillo (unseasoned) · sh jȅdnostāvan (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · nb ensfarget (of just one colour) · ru обы́чный (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · sv vanlig (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · grc ψιλός (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · da ensfarvet (of just one colour) · mi tōtōkau (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · ota بیاغی (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · eu xume (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation) · sl preprost (ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation)
From Middle English pleyn, borrowed from Anglo-Norman pleyn, playn, Middle French plain, plein, and Old French plain, from Latin plānus (“flat, even, level, plain”). Doublet of llano, piano, plane, and plan.
Meanings
(colloquial, not-comparable) Simply.
I plain forgot.
One trouble, he explained, is that dope pushers flock to neighborhoods where two gangs are at war, knowing they will find buyers among members of the gangs who are so keyed up that they welcome any kind of relaxation or who are just plain afraid. 1957 September 13, Walter Bernstein, “The Cherubs Are Rumbling”, in The New Yorker, archived from the original on 18 Feb 2024:
It was just plain stupid.
(archaic, not-comparable) Plainly; distinctly.
Tell me plain: do you love me or no?
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
plaine
alternative, obsolete
lexicographic
Translations (13)
fr simplement (adverb) · es plenariamente (adverb) · cmn 干脆 (adverb) · pl zwyczajnie (adverb) · pl po prostu (adverb) · nl gewoon (adverb) · ja 単に (adverb) · ta சும்மா (adverb) · es sencillamente (adverb) · vi đơn thuần (adverb) · de schlicht (adverb) · hi बस (adverb) · es plenamente (adverb)
From Old French plain, from Latin plānum (“level ground, a plain”), neuter substantive from plānus (“level, even, flat”). Doublet of llano, piano, and plane.
Meanings
An expanse of land with relatively low relief and few trees, especially a grassy expanse.
1961, J. A. Philip. Mimesis in the Sophistês of Plato. In: Proceedings and Transactions of the American Philological Association 92. p. 467.
For Plato the life of the philosopher is a life of struggle towards the goal of knowledge, towards “searching the heavens and measuring the plains, in all places seeking the nature of everything as a whole”
Him the Ammonite / Worshipped in Rabba and her watery plain. 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
A broad, flat expanse in general, as of water.
Fair ship, that from the Italian shore,
Sailest the placid ocean-plains
With my lost Arthur’s loved remains,
Spread thy full wings, and waft him o’er. 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto IX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
(archaic) Synonym of field in reference to a battlefield.
You have stormed no town and found the money there ; neither did you find it in the plains of Plassey after the defeat of the Nawab 1899, Alexander John Arbuthnot, Lord Clive: The Foundation of British Rule in India:
Lead forth my soldiers to the plain. c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
(alt-of, alternative, obsolete) Alternative spelling of plane: a flat geometric field.
he עֲרָבָה (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · az düzən (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ps هواره (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · eo ebenaĵo (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · gl chanzada (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · hu síkság (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ja 平地 (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · km វាល (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tet rai tetuk (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ast llanera (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ebk chator (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · eo ebeno (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sv slätt (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sq arë (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · lo ທີ່ຮາບ (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ro câmpie (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ba тигеҙлек (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ur مَیدان (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · fi tasanko (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ay pampa (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · qu pampa (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · es planicie (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ce аре (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · he מִישׁוֹר (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ca planura (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tyz búng tô̱ng nà (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · nys banitj (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · es llanura (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · knb talap (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · pt planície (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ast llana (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tl patag (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · kea txada (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · kmr deşt (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · zza merg (diq) (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · dsb płonina (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ast llanada (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · lt lyguma (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · dsb rownina (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sl rovina (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ar سَهْل (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · el πεδιάδα (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sk rovina (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tl kapatagan (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ko 평야 (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · et tasandik (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · nb slette (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cs rovina (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · el πεδίο (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · nv halgai (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cv тӳремлӗх (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ms dataran (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cs pláň (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · hi मैदान (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · hy դաշտավայր (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ps جلګه (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ja 平野 (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · da slette (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · hy հարթավայր (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · gl chaúra (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · te బయలు (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · vi bình nguyên (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · mi manaha (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · fa-ira دَشْت (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · lv līdzenums (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · wa plinne (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tr ova (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cmn 平原 (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ga machaire (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · mi pākihi (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · wa plin (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ko 평지 (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ota یازی (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · grc πεδιάς (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cmn 平野 (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · th ที่ราบ (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · kk тегістік (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ca planícia (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · izh tasanko (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · km វាលរាប (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · shi ⴰⵣⴰⵖⴰⵔ (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · fi tasamaa (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ky түзөң (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · de Ebene (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cy gwastadedd (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · grc πεδίον (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ps شاګۍ (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · gl chaira (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ga má (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · be раўні́на (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · az düzənlik (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · la plānum (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ka ვაკე (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tg ҳомун (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tt тигезлек (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · nn slett (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · fr plaine (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · nap chiana (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · is flatlendi (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · gl zua (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · oc plana (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sw tambarare (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cy gwastad (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · alt тӱс јер (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · fa-ira جُلْگِه (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sa अज्र (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · is slétta (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ru равни́на (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tk düzlük (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ro șes (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · izh lakkia (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · yue 平原 (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ca plana (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · my မြေပြန့် (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · bn সমভূমি (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · mn тал газар (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ary سهل (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · it pianura (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ky түздүк (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · nn slette (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · izh neemi (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ka ბარი (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ckb دەشت (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sh равнѝца (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sq rrafsh (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · uk рівни́на (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · kk жазаң (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tr düzlük (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · kk жазық (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · vi đồng bằng (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · uz tekislik (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · bo ཐང (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · id dataran (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · pl równina (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · mi mānia (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · es pampa (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ilo patag (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cy gwastatir (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · bg равнина́ (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · dsb płoń (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · yue 平野 (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sh ravnìca (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ksc tanap (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ug تۈزلەڭلىك (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · fa-ira هامون (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · cs planina (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ur دَشْت (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · km វាលទំនាប (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · mk рамнина (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · hu alföld (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · tg дашт (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · nl vlakte (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · la plānitiēs (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sq rrah (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · sk planina (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · hu róna (an expanse of land with relatively low relief) · ebk tanap (an expanse of land with relatively low relief)
From Old French plain, from Latin plānum (“level ground, a plain”), neuter substantive from plānus (“level, even, flat”). Doublet of llano, piano, and plane.
Meanings
(obsolete, transitive) To level; to raze; to make plain or even on the surface.
We would rake Europe rather, plain the East; 1612, George Wither, Prince Henrie’s Obsequies, Elegy 24, in Egerton Brydges (editor), Restituta, Volume I, London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, 1814, p. 399, Though kept by Rome’s and Mahomet’s chiefe powers; They should not long detain him there in thrall
Frownst thou thereat aspiring Lancaster,
The sworde shall plane the furrowes of thy browes, 1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
(obsolete, transitive) To make plain or manifest; to explain.
What’s dumb in show, I’ll plain with speech. c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act III, prologue]:
From Anglo-Norman plainer, pleiner, variant of Anglo-Norman and Old French pleindre, plaindre, from Latin plangere.
Meanings
(obsolete, reflexive) To complain.
Persones and parisch prestes · pleyned hem to þe bischop / Þat here parisshes were pore · sith þe pestilence tyme […]. c. 1378-9, [William Langland], “[Prologue]”, in The Vision of Pierce Plowman [...] (Cr, B-text), London: […] Roberte Crowley, […], published 1550, →OCLC:
(ambitransitive, archaic, poetic) To lament, bewail.
Thy mother could thee for thy cradle set
Her husband's rusty iron corselet;
Whose jargling sound might rock her babe to rest,
That never plain'd of his uneasy nest. 1597, [Joseph Hall], “(please specify the page)”, in Virgidemiarum, Sixe Bookes. First Three Bookes, of Tooth-lesse Satyrs. […], London: […] Thomas Creede, for Robert Dexter, →OCLC:
Shepheards, that wont[…]
Oft times to plaine your loves concealed smart 1595, Ed. Spencer [i.e., Edmund Spenser], “Astrophel. A Pastoral Elegie vpon the Death of the Most Noble and Valorous Knight, Sir Philip Sidney.”, in Colin Clouts Come Home Againe, London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
Then, again, she almost thought that the soft and wailing wind which swept mournfully through the sepulchral boughs of the large old yews, had a voice not of this world—was it the inarticulate plaining of her brother's gentle spirit, debarred from intercourse, but still keeping over her the deep and eternal watch of love? 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter II, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 9:
to plain a loss
Then came I crying, and to-day, / With heavier cause to plain, / Depart I into death away, / Not to be born again. 1936, Alfred Edward Housman, More Poems, "XXV", lines 5–9
From Middle English pleyn, borrowed from Old French plein, from Latin plēnus (“full, filled, complete”). Ultimately from Proto-Italic *plēnos, from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”). Doublet of plene, plenary, and full.