simplicity itself
1
3.4
- idiom
:
la simplicidad misma
- The key element of this new approach is simplicity itself.
- program is simplicity itself
Examples
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The premise is simplicity itself: director Ian Toews got to spend quality time with a fine group of Canadian artists who are inspired by the great Canadian landscape around them.
Blog text (24) -
My plan for the weekend is simplicity itself: just relax at home and watch some movies.
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"From then on, his plan was simplicity itself.
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The operation is simplicity itself.
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My plan is simplicity itself.
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The pattern is simplicity itself.
Academic text (1991) -
Our pitch is simplicity itself.
Blog text (14) -
It's simplicity itself.
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The operation is simplicity itself because all you need to do is press a single button.
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Making this dish is simplicity itself; you only need to combine the ingredients and cook for ten minutes.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Not hard to do, understand, or achieve
∞
1.0
Easy to understand or do
208
1.0
Simple and not decorated or flavored
99
3.7
Something that is easy to understand and clear
26
2.6
Done easily and smoothly without hard work
18
3.2
Easy to understand or deal with
15
2.7
Simple and plain without anything special or expensive
15
1.0
Easy to understand or do
5
3.8
Simple and basic without extra services or decoration
4
1.7
Very easy to do with little skill
1
6.1
Simple and relaxed, not difficult or serious
Very easy to do and understand
Plain and simple, not expensive or decorated
Simple and plain with no extra things or decorations
Antonyms
How Simple
1
3.4
63
1.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'simplicity' with the emphatic reflexive 'itself' to mean 'the very essence of simplicity' or 'extremely simple'; this sense is directly derivable from the constituent meanings. The emphatic construction 'X itself' is a common, productive pattern in English (and mirrored in many other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both words will likely understand the expression.
Etymology
Simplicity itself comes from a way of speaking where adding itself points to the thing as the perfect example of simplicity; imagine a tool so easy to use that you would say it is simplicity itself. So the phrase means 'very simple' and nothing more complicated.