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
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
Complain about something you do not like
To complain in a weak, whining voice
To complain in an annoying way about small things
To complain often about small things
To complain a lot about small things and annoy others
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.