to plain
- verb
- /pleɪn/
- Archaic
- Funkadelphia is a music blog founded by a group of Philadelphia college students who, when it comes down to it, just plain love music.
Examples
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She always plains about the long lines at the grocery store.
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May I make plain my negotiating position: I will not negotiate with criminals or thugs.
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I can grouse about the food and the CO and anything I plain please.
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They should just plain work.
Blog text (15) -
It's hands-on experience in my field, lots of networking, and just plain beneficial education.
Blog text (16) -
He tends to plain whenever he feels overwhelmed by work.
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They often plain about how the weather affects their plans.
Synonyms
To say you are unhappy about something and want it changed
Complain about something you do not like
To complain in a high, annoying voice
To speak quietly so others cannot hear, often to complain
To complain repeatedly about small things
To say your opinion or complain loudly and openly
To complain a lot in an annoying way
To complain about small unimportant things
To complain quietly about something you do not like
To complain in an annoying way about small things
To complain a lot about small things and annoy others
To complain often about small things
To complain in a weak, whining voice
To complain in a bad-tempered way
To complain about small, unimportant things
Idioms
Compounds
A police officer who wears ordinary clothes while working to avoid attention
How Complaining
- Informal
- Archaic
Surface Forms
Etymology
The verb plain meaning 'to complain' is related to the word complain and comes from old words for 'lament' or 'cry', not from the 'flat' meaning. A helpful way to remember is to link plain with complain, since both mean to show unhappiness or complain.