simple */*/*/

UK [ˈsɪmp(ə)l] / US adjective
Word forms "simple":
adjective simple comparative simpler superlative simplest

Metaphor:

Straightforward and direct language is like something that is plain and not decorated or colourful. Clever, complicated, and indirect language is like something that is decorated. She was famed for her plain speaking. ♦ Every effort is made to write official documents in plain English. ♦ He was plain-spoken almost to the point of rudeness. ♦ Her prose is lucid and unadorned. ♦ I want you to give me the unvarnished truth. ♦ It says here in black and white that if you don't have a job you can't get a visa. ♦ With each retelling, Matt added more embellishments to his story. ♦ Fancy writing is often used to obscure the truth. ♦ Everyone embroiders the truth to some extent. ♦ Her colourful account of her life proved a huge success. ♦ They glossed over all the difficult questions. ➡ honest, language

1) easy to understand, solve, or do

Students were given a simple skills test.

The book tries to give simple explanations of some very complex scientific ideas.

It's a good idea, but implementing it won't be as simple as you think.

simple to do:

The machine is fairly simple to operate.

(not) that simple:

All you have to do is press the button. It's that simple.

•

Collocations:
Adverbs frequently used with simple
▪  apparently, comparatively, deceptively, extremely, fairly, relatively, very

2) plain and without decoration

Sally likes clothes that are simple but elegant.

Ben used to live in a simple cabin in the woods.

a simple meal

3) not involving anything else, or not complicated by anything else

It's just a simple cold.

simple fact:

The simple fact is that he wants a divorce.

for the simple reason that:

The country has no navy for the simple reason that it has no sea.

4) with only one or very few parts

Archaeologists found several simple tools at the site.

By issuing simple voice commands, you can get the computer to perform most functions.

a) science not divided into separate parts

a simple leaf/organism

b) linguistics a simple sentence has only one subject and one verb

5) honest and ordinary

Her grandparents were simple people who never had much money.

6) old-fashioned not very intelligent and knowing little about the world

•

- keep it simple

- the simple life

See:

pure