plain-sailing

See also: plain sailing

English

Etymology

From plain (adjective) +‎ sailing.

Sense 2 of plain sailing (“something that is easy, simple, or straightforward”, noun) is attested slightly later than the adjective, and so could have been derived from it.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˌpleɪn ˈseɪlɪŋ/
• Homophone: plane sailing
• Rhymes: -eɪlɪŋ
• Hyphenation: plain-sail‧ing

Adjective

plain-sailing (not comparable)

1. Easy, simple, straightforward.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:easy

   • 1873, Louisa Parr, “Rays of Hope”, in Hero Carthew or The Prescotts of Pamphillon […] (Leisure Hour Series), New York, N.Y.: Holt & Williams, →OCLC, page 91:

     […] I took an uncommon fancy to him. He's a straightforward, plain-sailing fellow. I shall be very glad to see him again.

   • 1887, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “Bessie is asked in Marriage”, in Jess, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 31:

     [W]hat was the mainspring of her mind—round what axis did it revolve—that was what puzzled him. Clearly enough it was not like most women's, least of all like that of happy, healthy, plain-sailing Bessie.

   • 1909 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet. Preface.”, in The Doctor’s Dilemma, Getting Married, & The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet, London: Constable and Company, published 1911, →OCLC, page 303:

     But the plain-sailing tradesman who must be taken as the typical manager (for the west end of London is not the whole theatrical world) is by no means equally qualified to judge whether a play is safe from prosecution or not.

Derived terms

• plain sailing (“something that is easy, simple, or straightforward”, noun) (possibly: see the etymology)

Translations

easy, simple, straightforward — see easy,‎ simple,‎ straightforward