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simple Definition

sim·ple (sim′pəl)

adjective -·pler, -·plest

  1. having or consisting of only one part, feature, substance, etc.; not compounded or complex; single
  2. having few parts or features; not complicated or involved a simple pattern
  3. easy to do, solve, or understand, as a task, question, etc.
  4. without additions or qualifications; mere; bare the simple facts
    1. not ornate; unembellished; unadorned simple clothes
    2. not luxurious or elegant; plain simple tastes
  6. pure; unadulterated
  7. without guile or deceit; innocent; artless
    1. without ostentation or affectation; natural
    2. lacking sophistication; naive
  9. of low rank or position; specif.,
    1. humble; lowly
    2. common; ordinary
  10. lacking significance; unimportant
    1. having or showing little sense or reasoning ability; easily misled or deceived; stupid or foolish
    2. uneducated or ignorant
  12. Bot.
    1. consisting of one piece; whole
    2. not branched
    3. developing from a single pistil or carpel a simple fruit
  13. Chem.
    1. elementary
    2. unmixed
  14. Law unconditional; absolute in fee simple
  15. Zool. not divided into or made up of parts; not compounded a simple eye

Etymology: OFr < L simplus < IE *sṃplos < bases *sem-, one + *-plo-, -fold: see double

noun

  1. a person who is ignorant or easily misled
  2. something having only one part, substance, etc.
  3. Archaic
    1. a medicinal herb
    2. a medicine made from such a plant
  4. Archaic a person of humble position

simple Related Forms
sim′·ple·ness noun
simple Synonyms

simple

modif.

  1. Not complicated

    single, unmixed, unblended, mere, uncompounded, unalloyed, unadulterated, not complex, uncomplicated, without confusion, simplistic, not confusing, pure.

  2. Plain

    unadorned, unaffected, homely; see modest 2.

  3. Easy

    easy, not difficult, mild, of little difficulty, not arduous, done with ease, with great facility, manageable, presenting no difficulty, not puzzling; see also easy 2.

    Antonyms obscure*, puzzling, difficult*.

  4. Stupid

    inane, dull, ignorant; see shallow 2, stupid 1.

  5. Unsophisticated

    ingenuous, plain, artless; see innocent 1, naive. See syn. study at easy.

simple Law Definition

adj

  1. In criminal law, uncomplicated by aggravating circumstances. See also aggravated and mitigating circumstance.
  2. In property law, inheritable by the heirs of the owner without reservation; in contract law, not under seal. See also sealed instrument.
simple Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • keep: Foundations 2 & 3 state &#x2018; understand the risk reward ratio ' and &#x2018; Try and keep things simple ' .

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • keep: To keep things simple, we suggest that you copy the pictures you wish to use into your My Pictures or My Documents folder.

Modifies a noun

  • step: The five simple steps will be: 1. Complete your details.
  • answer: Sadly, there is no simple answer to the problem.
  • task: Would be willing to perform some simple computer tasks.
  • fact: The simple fact is that Jesus HAS come to die for YOUR sins.
  • explanation: Paper Plate Education is an initiative to reduce complex notions to simple paper plate explanations.
  • rule: All training should obey a few simple rules to be effective.

Modifying Another Word

  • relatively: There are two relatively simple approaches to solve such equations.
  • deceptively: The game itself, for the uninitiated is deceptively simple - just bridge the gap from the left to the right with lines.
  • fairly: Everything just fell into place. It was fairly simple, " she notes.
  • quite: You can use quite simple programming methods to create a neural network in Visual Basic.
  • very: An example of a very simple CMM is shown below.

Infinitive complement

  • install: Being fully portable, they are simple to install.
  • operate: Simple to operate at the push of a button.
  • administer: It is also simpler to administer which makes it more suitable for smaller charities.
  • understand: It is simple to understand with easy administration and clearly defined costs, and designed to be flexible and " stakeholder friendly " .
  • use: It is much simpler to use than to describe.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: It seems simple, but I make it so complicated.
  • appear: The musical prowess of Catlow, however, makes it appear deceptively simple.
simple Quotes

Everything should be madeassimpleaspossible, but not simpler.

—Einstein, Albert

All known religious beliefs, whether simple or complex, present one common characteristic: they presuppose a classification of all things, real and ideal, of which men think, into two classes or opposed groups, generally designated†profane and sacred.

—Durkheim, EŁ  mile

I think business is very simple.Profit. Loss. Take the sales, subtract the costs, you get this big positive number. The math is quite straightforward.

—Gates, Bill (William Henry III)

Esta gente e¤   boa e de boa simplicidade. E imprimir-se-a¤ ligeiramente neles cualquer cunho, que les quiserem dar. E logo lhes, Nosso Senhor, deu bons corpos e bons rostos, como a bons homens, e Ele que nos por aqui trouxe, creio que na‹  o foi sem causa. E portanto,Vossa Alteza, pois tanto deseja acrescentar na santa fe¤   cato¤ l ica, deve entender em sua salva c° a‹  o. These people are good and simple.You can stamp on them any design that you wish to give them. And Our Lord gave them good bodies and good faces, and I think that it was his plan that we arrive here. Therefore,Your Majesty, since you wish so much to increase Catholic faith, you must provide for their salvation.

—Vaz de Caminha, Pero

Life was simple before World War II. After that, we had systems.

—Hopper, Grace Murray

L'univers†je l'en estime plus depuis que je sais qu'il ressemble a'   une montre; il est surprenant que l'ordre de la nature, tout admirable qu'il est, ne roule que sur des choses si simples. I have come to esteem the universe more now that I know it resembles a watch; it is surprising that the order of nature, as admirable as it is, only runs on such simple things.

—Fontenelle, Bernard le Bovier de

For the beginning is assuredly the endösince we know nothing, pure and simple, beyond our own complexities.

—Williams,William Carlos

Ah God, for a man with heart, head, hand, Like some of the simple great ones gone For ever and ever by, One still strong man in a blatant land, Whatever they call him, what care I, Aristocrat, democrat, autocratöone Who can rule and dare not lie.

—Tennyson

The poet is the unsatisfied child who dares to ask the difficult question which arises from the schoolmaster's answer to his simple question, and then the still more difficult question which arises from that.

—Graves, Robert von Ranke

She is the Enid Blyton of economics.Nothing must be allowed to spoil her simple plots.

—Holme (of Cheltenham), Richard Holme, Baron

Le vrai est trop simple, il faut y arriver toujours par le complique¤  . Truth is too simple; it must always be arrived at in a complicated manner.

—Samuelson, Sir Sydney

The truth is rarely pure, and never simple.

—Wilde, Oscar Fingal O'FlahertieWills

The entrance of thy wordsgiveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

—Bible (Old Testament)

He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside, He came to those who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same word: 'Follow thou me!' and setsustothetaskswhich Hehastofulfil forour time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple,He will reveal Himself inthetoils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience who He is.

—Schweitzer, Albert