Part 312

Plague, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plagued (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Plaguing.] 1. To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind.

Thus were they plagued And worn with famine.

Milton.

2. Fig.: To vex; to tease; to harass.

She will plague the man that loves her most.

Spenser.

Syn. -- To vex; torment; distress; afflict; harass; annoy; tease; tantalize; trouble; molest; embarrass; perplex.

Plague"ful (?), a. Abounding, or infecting, with plagues; pestilential; as, plagueful exhalations.

Plague"less, a. Free from plagues or the plague.

Pla"guer (?), n. One who plagues or annoys.

Pla"gui*ly (?), adv. In a plaguing manner; vexatiously; extremely. [Colloq.] "Ronsard is so plaguily stiff and stately." Landor.

Pla"guy (?), a. Vexatious; troublesome; tormenting; as, a plaguy horse. [Colloq.] Also used adverbially; as, "He is so plaguy proud." Shak.

Plaice (?), n. [F. plaise, plais, prob. fr. L. platessa flatish, plaice. See Place.] (Zoˆl.) (a) A European food fish (Pleuronectes platessa), allied to the flounder, and growing to the weight of eight or ten pounds or more. (b) A large American flounder (Paralichthys dentatus; called also brail, puckermouth, and summer flounder. The name is sometimes applied to other allied species. [Written also plaise.]

Plaice mouth, a mouth like that of a plaice; a small or wry mouth. [R.] B. Jonson.

Plaid (?), n. [Gael. plaide a blanket or plaid, contr. fr. peallaid a sheepskin, fr. peall a skin or hide. CF. Pillion.] 1. A rectangular garment or piece of cloth, usually made of the checkered material called tartan, but sometimes of plain gray, or gray with black stripes. It is worn by both sexes in Scotland.

2. Goods of any quality or material of the pattern of a plaid or tartan; a checkered cloth or pattern.

Plaid, a. Having a pattern or colors which resemble a Scotch plaid; checkered or marked with bars or stripes at right angles to one another; as, plaid muslin.

Plaid"ed, a. 1. Of the material of which plaids are made; tartan. "In plaided vest." Wordsworth.

2. Wearing a plaid. Campbell.

Plaid"ing (?), n. Plaid cloth.

Plain (?), v. i. [OE. playne, pleyne, fr. F. plaindre. See Plaint.] To lament; to bewail; to complain. [Archaic & Poetic] Milton.

We with piteous heart unto you pleyne.

Chaucer.

Plain, v. t. To lament; to mourn over; as, to plain a loss. [Archaic & Poetic] Sir J. Harrington.

Plain, a. [Compar. Plainer (?); superl. Plainest.] [F., level, flat, fr. L. planus, perhaps akin to E. floor. Cf. Llano, Piano, Plan, Plane level, a level surface.] 1. Without elevations or depressions; flat; level; smooth; even. See Plane.

The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.

Isa. xl. 4.

2. Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair.