1
general::
adj. simple/not decorated VERBS be, look, seem ADV. extremely, very | absolutely, completely The dress was absolutely plain, but quite stunning. | fairly, quite, rather The food was fairly plain, but well cooked. PHRASES plain blue, white, etc. a plain white shirt not beautiful VERBS be, look ADV. extremely, very She looked very plain and dowdy. | rather a rather plain woman clear VERBS be, seem | become | make sth They made it plain that they were against the idea. ADV. very | absolutely, perfectly, quite Within weeks, it became perfectly plain that we were in the grip of a tyrant. | increasingly | fairly, pretty, reasonably PREP. to It is all quite plain to me., noun ADJ. open The horses galloped across the open plains. | rolling, sweeping miles of rolling plain, made fertile by the river | great, unbroken, vast | flat | fertile fertile plains suitable for farming | grassy | coastal PREP. across a/the ~ Cattle move freely across the grassy plain. | in a/the ~ the Olduvai Gorge in the vast plain of Tanzania | on a/the ~ Nothing grew on the plain.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
2
general::
plain
without anything added, or without decoration:
• a plain shirt • The fireplace was plain apart from a small design at the top.
simple
not having a lot of decoration or unnecessary things, but attractive:
• She was wearing a simple black dress. • The accommodation is simple but clean.
austere
very plain and with very little decoration, or very little in it – used about a room or place that does not make you feel welcome:
• He dreaded having dinner in that austere dining room. • The building was grey and a little austere. • the austere beauty and grandeur of mountain scenery
spartan
plain and without anything that would make life easier or more comfortable – used especially about rooms, conditions, or ways of living:
• Her apartment is quite spartan. • They had a very spartan life.
stark
very plain in a surprising way, with very little colour or decoration – used about rooms and places:
• Sam sat looking at the stark white walls. • It is a landscape of stark beauty.
bare
empty, or not covered by any decorations:
• Her office seemed very bare now that her desk had gone. • He was tired of looking at the bare walls of his prison cell.
Longman-Thesaurus
5
general::
plain
adjectives
the open plain(s)
• On the open plains of east Africa are zebras, antelopes, and gazelles.
the vast/great plain(s)
• Beyond lay the vast plains of the Central Valley.
a flat plain
• Here a group of small hills rises unexpectedly out of the flat plain.
a grassy plain
• The village is situated on the high grassy plains at the foot of the Sierra.
a fertile plain
• The rains washed soil down to create fertile plains.
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