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plane¹ Definition

plane (plān)

noun

any of a genus (Platanus) of trees of the plane-tree family having maplelike leaves, spherical dry fruits, and bark that sheds in large patches; sycamore

Etymology: ME < MFr plasne < L platanus < Gr platanos < platys, broad (see platy-): from its broad leaves

plane² Definition

plane (plān)

adjective

  1. flat; level; even
  2. Math.
    1. lying on a surface that is a plane
    2. of such surfaces

Etymology: L planus: see plain

noun

  1. a surface that wholly contains every straight line joining any two points lying in it
  2. a flat, level, or even surface
  3. a level of development, achievement, existence, etc.
  4. airplane
  5. any airfoil; esp., a wing of an airplane

Etymology: L planum

plane³ Definition

plane (plān)

noun

a carpenter's tool for shaving a wood surface in order to make it smooth, level, etc.

Etymology: OFr plaine < LL plana < planare, to plane, make level < L planus: see plain

transitive verb planed, plan′·ing

  1. to make smooth or level with or as with a plane
  2. to remove with or as with a plane: with off or away

intransitive verb

  1. to work with a plane
  2. to do the work of a plane

plane4 Definition

plane (plān)

intransitive verb planed, plan′·ing

  1. to soar or glide
  2. to rise partly out of the water while in motion at high speed, as a hydroplane (sense ) does
  3. to travel by airplane

Etymology: Fr planer < OFr plan, level surface (term used in falconry, in reference to position of bird's wings while soaring) < LL planare, to make level: see plane

plane Synonyms

plane

modif.

even, flush, level; see flat 1, level 2, 3, smooth 1. See syn. study at level.

plane Synonyms

plane

n.

  1. A plane surface

    level, extension, horizontal, flat, sphere, face, stratum, dead level*.

  2. A tool for smoothing wood

    Types of planes include: jack, smoothing, jointing, block, circular, reed, rabbet, grooving, routing, toothing, thumb, match, dovetail, sash, beading, scraper, dado, bullnose, trying, chamfer; electric planer, jointer, foreplane;

  3. An airplane

    aircraft, airliner, aeroplane, airship, heavier-than-air craft, avion (French), jet, bird*, ship*, boat*, crate*, heap*, hack*, taxi*, bus*. *

    Kinds of planes include: propeller, turboprop, propjet, jet, turbojet, jumbojet, rocket, scout, observation, reconnaissance, transport, supersonic transport, SST, pursuit, passenger, commuter; biplane, triplane, monoplane, dirigible, blimp, racer, glider, bomber, clipper, seaplane, hydroplane, fighter, fighter-bomber, interceptor, turbojet, stratojet, gyroplane, amphibian, zeppelin, sailplane, ultralight, hang glider.

  4. Commonly recognized makes and models of airplanes include --- United States: commercial: Boeing 707, 727, 737, 747, 757, 777; McDonnell Douglas DC-8, DC-9, DC-10, MD-11, MD-80; Lockheed L-1001; Gulfstream; Cessna; Learjet; Beechcraft; Piper; military: E-3 Sentry, AWACS, F-4G Wild Weasel, F-5, F-5E Tiger, F-20 Tigershark, YF-17 Cobra, B-2 Bomber; T-34; C-135, B-52; Stratofortress; V-22 Osprey; 15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet, F-4 Phantom, YF-23; E-2 Hawkeye, F-14 Tomcat; F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-111 Aardvark; F-22, C-5B Galaxy, F-104 Starfighter, F-117A Stealth Fighter, A-10 Thunderbolt, AV-88 Harrier; European: commercial: Airbus A-3400-600, A310, A320, A330, A340; Concorde; France: commercial: Avions de Transport Regional ATR 42, ATR 52, ATR 72, Super ATR; Caravelle Super 8; Military: Mirage 2000; Israel: military: Kfir-C7; Netherlands: commercial: Fokker F-27, F-28, F-100, F-140; Sweden: commercial: SAAB 340A, 340B, 2000; United Kingdom: commercial: BAe 125-800, 146, 1000, Viscount 843, Vickers Vanguard 953, Jetstream 31, Jetstream Super 31, Jetstream 41, Jetstream 51; Shorts 330-200, 360; military: Hawk, Sea Harrier, Tornado, Lightning F.Mk3; Trident 1; Russian Federation: commercial: Antonov, Ilyushin, Tupolev, military: Tu-16 Kipper, TU20 Bear, Backfire, MiG-17, MiG-21 Fishbed, Mig-23 Flogger, MiG-AT, MiG-29 Falcrum, Sn-17/20/22 Fitter.

plane Synonyms

plane

v.

finish, smooth, level, dress; see flatten.

plane Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • ecliptic: Pluto's orbit deviates the most from the plane of the ecliptic with an inclination of 17 degrees.
  • equator: Latitude The angular distance between the normal at a point on an ellipsoid and the plane of the equator of the ellipsoid.
  • existence: Will our plane of existence merge with the world beyond the veil?

Converse of object

  • hijack: The film tells the story of the fourth hijacked plane on the day of the worst terrorist attacks on American soil.
  • fly: Saddam may be a nasty piece of work but he had nothing to do with flying planes into the World Trade Center.

Adjective modifier

  • inclined: Built an inclined plane on the Dorset & Somerset Canal.
  • focal: A cross can be seen in the back focal plane.
  • horizontal: The sound rotates in the horizontal plane, three squares away starting directly to the left of the listener.
  • vertical: Now for why the ice crystals remain in a vertical plane.
  • astral: As such it opens our psychic faculties and link and understanding of the astral planes.
  • galactic: However, dust absorption can reduce the Halpha intensity, particularly near or on the Galactic plane.

Modifies a noun

  • crash: He died in a plane crash in 1996 in Nigeria.
  • ticket: Stories of how they saved for the boat or plane tickets to come to Britain.
  • shutter: The focal plane shutter allows the use of lenses without shutters of their own which are generally a stop faster than the shuttered equivalents.

Noun used with modifier

  • bedding: Follow the bedding plane passage leading off from here, to the right.
  • fighter: The world's modern fighter planes are at your command.
  • spy: Some think the Air Force has built a hypersonic spy plane that can travel at six times the speed of sound.
  • spotter: The Fisheries patrol boat was in the area and their spotter plane flew overhead.
  • reconnaissance: By this the strategists usually seem to mean using special forces or satellite-guided bombs or pilotless reconnaissance planes.
  • cargo: A cargo plane full of soldiers who we re doctors ready to take off for Iraq.