Advertisement

Advertisement

plain clothes

or plainclothes

plural noun

  1. clothing other than one's uniform, especially civilian clothes worn on duty by a police officer.


plain clothes

plural noun

    1. ordinary clothes, as distinguished from uniform, as worn by a police detective on duty
    2. ( as modifier )

      a plain-clothes policeman

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Other Words From

  • plain-clothes plainclothes adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of plain clothes1

First recorded in 1815–25
Discover More

Example Sentences

We pulled plain-clothes cops in to stake out different neighborhoods.

The Mukhabarat had appeared, in plain clothes, from nowhere.

White vans and scores of men in plain clothes pop up from nowhere.

Outside at the taxi stand, the men approached and finally identified themselves: They turned out to be plain-clothes police.

In less than five minutes, about four police officers and several men in plain clothes came running to the scene.

The door opened and a plain clothes detective entered the office.

Ten minutes later, after the sergeant had changed into plain clothes, the trio set out along the flat, muddy road for Asheldham.

There were a lot of cops up there, a lot of plain clothes men and lads from the homicide bureau.

Captain Greenleaf, with one of the plain-clothes men of his force, came hurrying up the steps.

The latest addition to the Furmville plain-clothes squad remembered how carefully Morley's hands had been manicured.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


plain chocolateplainclothesman