ˈsɪmpl adj. & n. --adj. 1
easily understood or
done; presenting no
difficulty (a simple
explanation; a simple task). 2
not complicated or
elaborate;
without luxury or sophistication. 3 not compound; consisting of or involving
only one element or
operation etc. 4
absolute,
unqualified,
straightforward (the simple
truth; a simple majority). 5
foolish or
ignorant;
gullible,
feeble-minded (am not so simple as to
agree to that). 6 plain in
appearance or
manner;
unsophisticated,
ingenuous,
artless. 7 of low rank;
humble,
insignificant (simple people). 8
Bot. a consisting of one
part. b (of fruit) formed
from one
pistil. --n.
archaic 1 a
herb used medicinally. 2 a
medicine made from
it. øsimple
eye an eye of an
insect, having only one
lens. simple
fracture a fracture of
the bone only, without a
skin wound. simple
harmonic motion see HARMONIC. simple
interest interest
payable on a capital
sum only (cf. compound interest (see COMPOUND)). simple
interval Mus. an interval of one
octave or
less. simple
machine any of the
basic mechanical devices
for applying a force (e.g. an inclined plane, wedge, or lever). simple
sentence a sentence
with a
single subject and predicate. Simple Simon a foolish
person (from the nursery-rhyme character). simple
time Mus. a time with
two,
three, or
four beats in a bar. øøsimpleness n. [ME f. OF f. L simplus]
