plain

simple, sobre

Simple et ordinaire, sans décoration ni détails particuliers.

En anglais simple : Simple and ordinary, with no decoration or special details.

• She wore a plain dress.
• The room had plain wooden furniture.
• I prefer a plain design without decorations.

Synonymes : simple, unadorned, basic

Contraires : ornate, decorated

Expressions courantes : plain dress, plain furniture, plain design

clair, évident

Facile à voir ou à comprendre.

En anglais simple : Easy to see or understand.

• Her disappointment was plain to see.
• He made his intentions plain.
• The plain truth is that we need help.

Comment l'utiliser : plain to someone (It was plain to everyone that she was tired.); make something plain (Please make your meaning plain.)

Synonymes : clear, obvious, evident

Contraires : unclear

Expressions courantes : plain truth, make something plain, plain to see

uni

D’une seule couleur, sans motif.

En anglais simple : Having one colour and no pattern.

• I bought a plain blue shirt.
• Choose plain curtains for this busy room.
• Do you prefer plain fabric or stripes?

Synonymes : solid-coloured

Contraires : patterned

Expressions courantes : plain shirt, plain fabric, plain blue

nature

Préparé ou servi sans arômes ajoutés, sauces ou garnitures.

En anglais simple : Made or served simply, without added flavours, sauces, or toppings.

• I usually eat plain yogurt.
• Would you like your rice plain?
• She ordered a plain bagel without butter.

Synonymes : unflavoured

Expressions courantes : plain yogurt, plain rice, plain bagel

peu séduisant, quelconque

D’apparence ordinaire, sans grand attrait physique.

En anglais simple : Having an ordinary appearance that is not especially attractive.

• He had a rather plain face.
• She considered herself plain when she was young.
• His sister was plain but had a lovely smile.

Synonymes : unattractive, ordinary-looking

Contraires : beautiful, handsome

Expressions courantes : plain face, rather plain, plain looking

plaine

Grande étendue de terrain plat, souvent couverte d’herbe et avec peu d’arbres.

En anglais simple : A large area of flat land, often with grass and few trees.

• Horses grazed on the plain.
• The river crosses a wide plain.
• Large herds live on these grassy plains.

Synonymes : flatland

Expressions courantes : coastal plain, open plain, grassy plain, vast plain

tout simplement, carrément

Sert à souligner que quelque chose possède clairement une certaine qualité.

En anglais simple : Used to emphasize that something clearly has a particular quality.

• That answer is plain wrong.
• Leaving the door open was just plain stupid.
• The price they asked was plain ridiculous.

Synonymes : simply, just, downright

Expressions courantes : just plain wrong, plain stupid, plain silly