plain Jane

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noun Informal.

a drab, unattractive, and generally uninteresting girl or woman.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

Origin of plain Jane

First recorded in 1910–15

plain-Jane

[ pleyn-jeyn ]

/ ˈpleɪnˈdʒeɪn /

adjective Informal.

simple and modest; unadorned; basic: a plain-Jane car dressed up with leather upholstery.

First recorded in 1935–40

Yet, much like the fate that fell the first season, ratings just plain weren't good.
‘The Comeback’ Finale: Give Lisa Kudrow All of the Awards|Kevin Fallon|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Thanks to the Atlanta case, they can now see another in plain sight.
A Gift to the Jihadis: The Unseen Airport Security Threat|Clive Irving|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A new book from Mallory Ortberg imagines what literary legends including King Lear and Jane Eyre would have texted.
What Would Jane Eyre Sext?|Jennie Yabroff|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Because holy hell was that bland, unfunny, uncomfortable, and just plain confusing.
The Biggest Bombs of 2014: ‘Sex Tape,’ Mariah Carey’s Vocals, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He never suffered any physical abuse and had grown close with Jane, Brooke, and her family.
Beaten By His Church for Being Gay|Justin Jones|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But what a magnificent plain is this we are entering upon: it is of immense extent.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
A far-off volley rumbled over the plain, and a few birds stirred uneasily among the trees.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
There are many more good dwellings on this plain than in the rural portion of Lower Italy.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
The word of the law shall be fulfilled without a lie, and wisdom shall be made plain in the mouth of the faithful.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Here there is no question of emergency, or enemy pressure, or of haste; so much we see plain enough with our own eyes.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton