Dictionary
sim•ple
Pronunciation: (sim'pul), [key]
—adj., -pler, -plest,
—n.
—
adj.
1. easy to understand, deal with, use, etc.:
a simple matter; simple tools.
2. not elaborate or artificial; plain:
a simple style.
3. not ornate or luxurious; unadorned:
a simple gown.
4. unaffected; unassuming; modest:
a simple manner.
5. not complicated:
a simple design.
6. not complex or compound; single.
7. occurring or considered alone; mere; bare:
the simple truth; a simple fact.
8. free of deceit or guile; sincere; unconditional:
a frank, simple answer.
9. common or ordinary:
a simple soldier.
10. not grand or sophisticated; unpretentious:
a simple way of life.
11. humble or lowly:
simple folk.
12. inconsequential or rudimentary.
13. unlearned; ignorant.
14. lacking mental acuteness or sense:
a simple way of thinking.
15. unsophisticated; naive; credulous.
16. simpleminded.
17. Chem.
a. composed of only one substance or element:
a simple substance.
b. not mixed.
18. Bot.not divided into parts:
a simple leaf; a simple stem.
19. Zool.not compound:
a simple ascidian.
20. Music.uncompounded or without overtones; single:
simple tone.
21. Gram.having only the head without modifying elements included:
The simple subject of “The dappled pony gazed over the fence” is “pony.” Cf.
complete (def. 5).
22. (of a verb tense) consisting of a main verb with no auxiliaries, as
takes (simple present) or
stood (simple past) (opposed to
compound).
23. Math.linear (def. 7).
24. Optics.(of a lens) having two optical surfaces only.
—
n.
1. an ignorant, foolish, or gullible person.
2. something simple, unmixed, or uncompounded.
3. simples, Textiles.cords for controlling the warp threads in forming the shed on draw-looms.
4. a person of humble origins; commoner.
5. an herb or other plant used for medicinal purposes:
country simples. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
