Simple

Definition: Simple

Simple

Adjective

1. Having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved; "a simple problem"; "simple mechanisms"; "a simple design"; "a simple substance".

2. Easy and not involved or complicated; "an elementary problem in statistics"; "elementary, my dear Watson"; "a simple game"; "found an uncomplicated solution to the problem".

3. Apart from anything else; without additions or modifications; "only the bare facts"; "shocked by the mere idea"; "the simple passage of time was enough"; "the simple truth".

4. Exhibiting childlike simplicity and credulity; "childlike trust"; "dewey-eyed innocence"; "simple courtesy".

5. Lacking mental capacity and devoid of subtlety.

6. (botany) of leaf shapes; of leaves having no divisions or subdivisions.

7. Not elaborate in style; unornamented; "a simple country schoolhouse"; "her black dress--simple to austerity".

Noun

1. (archaic) any herbaceous plant having medicinal properties.

2. A person lacking intelligence or common sense.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "simple" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references)

Computing

Literature

Medicine

Science

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

SIMPLE

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

Synonyms: Simple

Artlessness

Adjective: artless, natural, pure, native, confiding, simple, lain, inartificial, untutored, unsophisticated, ingenu, unaffected, naive; sincere, frank; open, open as day; candid, ingenuous, guileless; unsuspicious, honest; innocent; Arcadian; undesigning, straightforward, unreserved, aboveboard; simple-minded, single-minded; frank-hearted, open-hearted, single-hearted, simple-hearted.

Credulity

Adjective: credulous, gullible; easily deceived; simple, green, soft, childish, silly, stupid; easily convinced; over-credulous, over confident, over trustful; infatuated,Adjective: credulous, gullible; easily deceived; simple, green, soft, childish, silly, stupid; easily convinced; over-credulous, over confident, over trustful; infatuated, superstitious; confiding; (believing).

Imbecility Folly

Childish, child-like; infantine, infantile, babyish, babish; puerile, anile; simple; (credulous); old-womanish.

Plainness

Adjective: plain, simple; unornamented, unadorned, unvarnished; homely, homespun; neat; severe, chaste, pure, Saxon; commonplace, matter-of-fact, natural, prosaic.

Smallness

Mere, simple, sheer, stark, bare; near run.

Crosswords: Simple

French (austere, chaste, cheap, crude, easy, homely, honest, informal, lesser, lowly, mere, natural, petty, plain, poor, simple, simple minded, single, singles, straightforward, unaffected, unostentatious, unsophisticated, unvarnished), French Canadian (single), Galician (single), German (open and shut), Spanish (a b c, a.b.c., abc, artless, bare, mere, plain, simple, simple minded, single, straightforward).

We follow orders, we follow orders or people die, it's that simple. Are we clear (A Few Good Men; writing credit: Aaron Sorkin. Based on the play by Aaron Sorkin.)

The plan, as it turned out, was as simple and as dumb as anything we'd ever done (Sleepers; writing credit: Barry Levinson)

You're a French aristocrat, she's a simple girl of the people, and she won't even give you a tumbrel (Singin' in the Rain; writing credit: Betty Comden; Adolph Green)

I'm afraid we'll have to assume that there's a good chance this simple bastard has murdered them (Alien³; writing credit: Dan O'Bannon; Ronald Shusett)

I speak simple English, I don't have an accent as far as I can tell (The Lost World: Jurassic Park; writing credit: David Koepp)

And all I needed was a simple man, (Simple Kind of Life; performing artist: No Doubt)

And life is just a simple game (Simple Game; performing artist: The Moody Blues)

I thought it would be so simple, like a thousand times before (Love in the First Degree; performing artist: Alabama; writing credit: Jim Hurt and Tim DuBois)

I'm just a singer of simple songs (Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning); performing artist: Alan Jackson)

I'm simple but I'm no fool (Every Heartbeat; performing artist: Amy Grant)

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler. (references; author: unknown)

If the human brain was simple enough for us to understand, we'd be so simple we couldn't understand. (references; author: unknown)

The trouble with man is two-fold: he cannot learn truths which are too complicated; he forgets truths which are too simple. (references; author: unknown)

Un aller simple (1971)

Une si simple histoire (1970)

Rattle of a Simple Man (1964)

Un jeu si simple (1963)

The Simple Things (1953)

Play A Simple Melody (performing artist: Gary Crosby and Friend)

A Simple Game (performing artist: The Moody Blues)

Simple Kind Of Life (performing artist: No Doubt)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

References

• Simple Technology, Inc.: International Competitive Benchmarks and Financial Gap Analysis (reference)

• The 2002 Official Patient's Sourcebook on Simple Kidney Cysts (reference)

  (more reference examples)

Books

• Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work: Simple Ways to Minimize Stress and Conflict While Bringing Out the Best in Yourself and Others (reference)

• The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People: What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It (reference)

• Every Night Italian: 120 Simple Delicious Recipes You Can Make in 45 Minutes or Less (reference)

• Acid-Base, Fluids, and Electrolytes Made Ridiculously Simple (MedMaster Series, 2002 Edition) (reference)

• How to Stop Heartburn: Simple Ways to Heal Heartburn and Acid Reflux (reference)

  (more book examples)

Periodicals

• Simple Cooking (reference)

  (more periodical examples)

Theater & Movies

• A Simple Wish (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• A Simple Gift (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

High Tech

• Simple Backup 2.2 (reference)

  (more camera examples; more video game examples; more computer examples; more electronic examples; more software examples)

Consumer Goods

• Sunbeam 3020 Simple Press Iron (reference)

• EZ Paintr 50341 Simple Solutions Exterior Speed Painter (reference)

  (more baby examples; more wireless phone examples; more garden examples; more kitchen examples; more tool examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Shown are laboratory flasks. Recently scientists have learned to make interferon in bacteria, growing such microorganisms on simple nutrients in flasks, as shown. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer).

"Rohbau" by Rainer Wonisch. From inside DPGraph, click on Edit to see the simple equation that generates this surface.

Nova eruptions by dying stars were thought to be simple, predictable acts of violence. ... Credit: NASA.

Octant with simple artificial horizon in the form of a pendulum. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

HYDROLAB's success lay in the simple design and expert support personnel. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

Figure 5. Stellwagen sampling sounder invented by Lieutenant Henry S. Stellwagen, USN, while on Coast Survey duty in 1842. This sampler was undoubted ly one of the first sounder-samplers of simple design that was used in a systematic manner for scientific purposes. It was invented in 1842. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.

Figure 41. Thomson pneumatic sounder, devised by Sir William Thomson, was an extremely simple device designed for use with his sounding machine on a steel line. Although based on the action of pressure on gas or liquids, it also used the original concept of using a chemical means to note the depth attained. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.

Not all the iron present in foods can actually be absorbed and used by the human body. Now a simple, inexpensive cellular model system that simulates digestion and nutrient absorption has been developed at the U.S. Plant, Soil, and Nutrition Laboratory in Ithaca, New York. P. Credit: USDA ARS News; photo by Scott Bauer..

A simple blood test that checks the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in cattle can help producers fine-tune their herd's feeding regimen. P. Credit: USDA ARS News; photo by Keith Weller..

A postcard-like photograph captures the simple beauty and majestic grandeur of the Parashant National Monument. Credit: Bette Ariel.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

The equality of a simple poor way of living, confining their desires within the narrow bounds of each man's small property, made few controversies, and so no need of many laws to decide them, or variety of officers to superintend the process, or look after the execution of justice, where there were but few trespasses, and few offenders. (Second Treatise of Government)

He becomes an appendage of the machine, and it is only the most simple, most monotonous, and most easily acquired knack, that is required of him. (reference)

Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Part of the present Treaty, all matters shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast by the Delegates present. (reference)

Thus, whatever happens, and thus only, shall we be secure ourselves and able to work together for the high and simple causes that are dear to us and bode no ill to any. ("Iron Curtain" Speech)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Nothing can be more simple, you see.

It is, in fact, a very simple problem in Hydrodynamics

It was clothed in one simple green robe, or mantle, bordered with white fur.

The abolition of misery will be brought about by a simple elevation of level

His childhood was dead or lost and with it his soul capable of simple joys, and he was drifting amid life like the barren shell of the moon

Simple, plain Clarence, I do love thee so That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven, If heaven will take the present at our hands

Then crop failure, drought, and flood were no longer little deaths within life, but simple losses of money

Their buildings, although very rude and simple, are not inconvenient, but well contrived to defend them from all injuries of cold and heat

With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have ever lived a more simple and meagre life than the poor

There is no vice so simple but assumes some mark of virtue on his outward parts

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Try something simple first. (references)

PET works on a simple principle. (references)

Simple math problems may become hard to solve. (references)

Business

The conditions are very liberal and the procedure is simple. (references)

The environment for import of port equipment into China is not simple. (references)

It is difficult to control these pollution problems with simple methods. (references)

Civil Liberties

Botswana

After a generally simple bureaucratic process, the organization is registered. (references)

Congo

Requirements for the establishment of a religious organization are simple and generally are not subject to abuse. (references)

Macedonia

With the adoption of the Constitution in November 1991, any Yugoslav citizen who had legal residence in Macedonia could acquire citizenship by simple application. (references)

Economic History

Hong Kong

The tax system in Hong Kong is simple and tax rates are low. (references)

Portugal

However, it is not so difficult if some simple steps are followed. (references)

Botswana

Company formation and registration in Botswana is relatively simple. (references)

Human Rights

Nicaragua

Although very simple cases or those with high profile or outside interest may be resolved quickly, many languish for months. (references)

Poland

Simple civil cases can take as long as 2 to 3-years before resolution, and the pretrial waiting time in criminal cases can be several months. (references)

Germany

For simple or less serious cases, the Government has adopted a procedure allowing for an accelerated hearing and summary punishment at the local court level. (references)

Political Economy

Gambia

Jammeh won a simple majority of 53 percent of the total votes cast. (references)

OMAN

Services barriers consist of simple prohibitions on entering the market. (references)

TAIWAN

The international simple resale (ISR) market was opened in July 2001; seven out of 15 firms that applied for permits were awarded them. (references)

Political Rights

Bhutan

Voting is by secret ballot, with a simple majority needed to pass a measure. (references)

Bhutan

The law does not make clear how a candidate is selected if none achieves a simple majority. (references)

Bhutan

Each cabinet minister is to be elected by simple majority in a secret ballot in the National Assembly from among candidates nominated by the King. (references)

Trade

Peru

Labeling requirements are relatively simple. (references)

Spain

Others vary in size from a simple warehouse to several square kilometers. (references)

Chile

This is fast and simple, with no lengthy delays in the remittance of foreign currency. (references)

Travel

Vietnam

In smaller towns, the only option is usually Vietnamese or simple western food. (references)

Kenya

Interruptions in service do occur and simple local calls often are hard to complete. (references)

Ghana

They range from the simple black and white, standard 2" x 3.5" cards, to colorful, oversized, multi-colored cards with fancy logos. (references)

Women

Nigeria

Indigenous forms of FGM vary from the simple removal of the clitoral hood or labia minora to excision of the clitoris and the most dangerous form, infibulation. (references)

South Africa

The law defines marital rape as a criminal offense and allows women to obtain injunctions against abusive husbands in a simple, less expensive, and more effective manner. (references)

Pakistan

The Commission of Inquiry for Women has rejected the concept of "honor" as a mitigating circumstance in a murder case and recommended that such killings be treated as simple murder. (references)

Worker Rights

Chile

Registering a union is a simple process. (references)

Nauru

Most families live in simple but adequate housing, and almost every family owns some sort of motor vehicle. (references)

Bahamas

The Industrial Relations Act requires that, before a strike begins, a simple majority of a union's membership must vote in favor of a motion to strike. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "simple": ad simple ♦ as simple as abc ♦ fairly simple ♦ fee simple ♦ in simple english ♦ in simple terms ♦ it is quite simple ♦ pur et simple ♦ pure and simple ♦ quite simple ♦ render simple ♦ simple absence ♦ Simple Algebraic Language for Engineers ♦ simple approach lighting system ♦ simple Authentication and Security Layer ♦ simple beam ♦ simple cell ♦ simple contract ♦ simple dress ♦ simple equation ♦ simple explanation ♦ simple eye ♦ simple fact ♦ simple folks ♦ simple fraction ♦ simple fracture ♦ simple fruit ♦ simple Gateway Control Protocol ♦ simple harmonic motion ♦ simple interest ♦ simple job ♦ simple larceny ♦ simple leaf ♦ simple link ♦ simple link process definition ♦ simple machine ♦ simple Mail Transfer Protocol ♦ simple majority ♦ simple mastectomy ♦ simple message transfer protocol ♦ simple microscope ♦ simple minded ♦ simple mindedness ♦ simple motions ♦ simple multicast protocol ♦ simple name ♦ simple needs ♦ simple network management protocol ♦ simple Network Management Protocol version 2 ♦ simple Network Paging Protocol ♦ simple Object Access Protocol ♦ simple obligation ♦ Simple or Single ♦ simple past ♦ simple pendulum ♦ simple phobia ♦ simple pistil ♦ simple pit ♦ simple prebend ♦ simple present ♦ simple problem ♦ simple protein ♦ simple regression ♦ simple reversionary bonus ♦ simple risk ♦ simple sample ♦ simple segment ♦ simple sentence ♦ simple simon ♦ simple sort ♦ simple style ♦ simple sugar ♦ simple test machine ♦ simple thing ♦ simple tone ♦ simple truth ♦ talk in simple ♦ Valencia Simple Tasker. Additional references.

Beginning with "simple": simple-complex, simple-deep, Simple-hearted, simple-living, simple-majority, simple-minded, simple-mindedly, Simple-mindedness, simple-parent, simple-to-administer, simple-to-follow, simple-to-grasp, simple-to-operate, simple-to-read, simple-to-use.

Ending with "simple": over-simple.

Albanian

pa ndërlikime, njëfish (one piece, onefold), jo i përbërë, i thjeshtë (abecedarian, artless, austere, bare, chaste, childlike, common, easy, elementary, enlisted, folksy, foolproof, Hick, home-bred, homely, homespun, humble, inelaborate, informal, ingenuous, inornate, mere, modest, native, natural, neat, not mingled, onefold, ordinary, plain, prime, primitive, private, pure, quotidian, rude, russet, rustic, unaffected, unassuming, unceremonious, unpretending, unpretentious, unsophisticated, very), i qartë (apparent, articulate, candid, clear, clear-cut, definite, distinct, evident, explicit, express, fair, formal, Frank, in focus, legible, limpid, lucid, luminous, manifest, neat, obvious, open and shut, palpable, patent, perspicuous, plain, readable, self evident, serene, tangible, unambiguous, unequivocal, visible, well-defined, well-marked), i lehtë (airy, downhill, easy, effortless, ethereal, etherial, expedite, facile, feathery, flimsy, frothy, gauzy, glib, gossamer, gossamery, light, lightweight, mild, pale, ready, sheer, slight, subtile, subtle, toilless, trifling, tripping, walkaway, weak, weightless), i dukshëm (apparent, appreciable, conspicuous, discernible, distinct, evidence, evident, in evidence, manifest, marked, memorable, mere, naked, notable, noticeable, observable, obvious, outward, overt, palpable, patent, perceptible, plain, pointed, prominent, rank, salient, self-explanatory, sensible, sheer, speaking, substantial, telling, thorough-paced, transparent, unconcealed, unqualified, visible). (various references)

Arabic 

‏مغفل (dense, dolt, dullard, dumb, dunce, dunderhead, dupe, fat-witted, fool, foolish, licentious, moronic, mutton-headed, nincompoop, ninny, nitwit, numskull, pointless, rubbishy, silly, simple minded, simpleton, soft-headed, softy, stupid, thick-headed, weak-minded), ‏نبتة طبية, ‏وضيع المولد (base-born), ‏غير معقد, ‏سهل (ease, ease off, easy, even, expedite, facilitate, favor, favour, flat, frail, get-at-able, plain, quite simple, slick, smooth, soft), ‏ساذج (artless, credulous, drip, gaga, gimp, green, guileless, gullible, honest, ingenuous, innocent, mug, naive, ninny, oafish, pastoral, patsy, platitudinous, primitive, provincial, silly, unsophisticated, untutored, unworldly), ‏عقار نباتي بسيط, ‏عادي (average, banal, classless, common, commonplace, conventional, household, lay, mean, medial, mediocre, middling, mundane, natural, normal, ordinary, plain, plebeian, poor, prosaic, run of the mill, second rate, some, stock, trivial, unexceptional, wont), ‏جاهل (artless, benighted, blockhead, ignorant, illiterate, innocent, nescient, primitive, raw, rude, unaware, unlettered, untaught), ‏شخص أبله (birdbrained, turd), ‏بسيط (attic, chaste, crude, down to earth, elementary, homely, honest, innocent, low-browed, lowly, mere, modest, naive, natural, pastoral, petty, plain, primitive, provincial, rustic, silly, simple minded, sparing, straightforward, unaffected, unpretentious, unsophisticated, unvarnished, with distortion), ‏برئ (angelic, artless, blameless, clear, guileless, guiltless, harmless, honest, inculpable, ingenuous, innocent, naive, pure, starry eyed, white). (various references)

Bulgarian 

непринуден (affable, artless, childlike, easy, familiar, free, go-as-you-please, informal, rustic, spontaneous, unconstrained, unlabored, unlaboured, unpretending, unpretentious, unstarched, unstrained, unstudied, unstuffy), прост човек (primitive), простодушен (ingenuous, innocent, unartful, undesigning, unsophisticated), лекарство от билки, лековита билка (herb), лековерен (credulous, dupable, gullible, simple minded, soft, unseeing), лесен (easy, effortless, facile, liveable, potty, ready, ready made, runaway, smooth, snap, soft), естествен (artless, honorary, ingenuous, innate, living, matter of course, native, natural, spontaneous, unceremonious, uncoined, unpretending, unschooled, unsophisticated, unstarched, unstrained, untaught, untutored), прост (abc, artless, childlike, common, commonplace, easy, elemental, elementary, funky, grave, homelike, homespun, humble, illiberal, low, native, onefold, open and shut, ordinary, plain, prime, primitive, rugged, rustic, sleazy, straight, straightforward, uncomplicated, unpretentious, vulgar), наивен (artless, fond, green, guileless, gullible, ingenuous, jejune, naпve, naif, silly, undesigning, unsophisticated, untutored, unworldly, wide-eyed), същински (arrant, positive, proper, pure, rank, real, regular, sheer, veritable, very), неукрасен (austere, grave, inornate, unadorned, undecked, unenlivened, unvarnished), обикновен (accustomed, average, common, commonplace, everyday, familiar, frequent, homely, humdrum, low, matter of fact, mere, moderate, mundane, ordinary, plain, quiet, regular, routine, run of the mill, trite, trivial, unaffected, undistinguished, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, wonted), откровен човек, глупав (anserine, asinine, blackhearted, blithering, blockish, blunt, brainless, cockscomb, crass, daft, dense, dim witted, dopey, dopy, dozy, fat, fatuous, flat-footed, fool, foolish, footless, footling, goofy, hebetate, inane, inept, irrational, lame brain, lumpish, lunatic, mindless, mutton-headed, nonsensical, off one's nut, piffling, puddingy, puerile, purblind, sappy, senseless, silly, slow witted, stockish, stupid, thick, thick-skulled, thick-witted, tomfool, trumpery, unintelligent, unwise, vacant, vacuous, whacked, witless, wooden-headed), глупак (bird brained, blinker, boeotian, bonehead, boob, booby, calf, chuckle-head, clod, clot, coot, dodo, dotterel, driveler, dummy, fathead, flat, fool, gaby, gawk, goof, goon, gowk, greenhorn, gull, hammerhead, jackass, jobbernowl, lack-brain, lame brain, leather-head, lunkhead, muggins, mutt, mutton head, ninny, nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull, nutter, oaf, pudding-head, pumpkin-head, sap, sap-head, schmo, schnook, sheep's head, silly, simp, simpleton, spoon, stupe, stupid, thickhead, tomfool, twit, witling, wittol, zany, zombie), семпъл, скромен (abstemious, chaste, conservative, decent, decorous, demure, frugal, humble, maidenlike, maidenly, mean, modest, obscure, quakerish, quiet, retiring, shamefaced, small, unambitious, unassuming, unobtrusive, unpresuming, unpretending, unpretentious), малоумен (barmy, cretinous, deficient, feebleminded, half-witted, imbecile, innocent, mooncalf, oafish, soft-headed, soft-witted, witless). (various references)

Catalan

senzill (straightforward). (various references)

Chinese 

顓 (good), 簡略 (brief), 簡易 (easy), 簡單 (not complicated), 簡 , 简单, 純 (genuine, pure, unmixed), 易 (change, easy), 戇 (stupid), 單純 (alone, merely, pure). (various references)

Czech

upřímný (candid, direct, fair dealing, feeling, Frank, free-hearted, genuine, heartfelt, heart-to-heart, heart-whole, honest, ingenuous, on the up and up, open, open-hearted, outspoken, plain, plainspoken, sincere, single-hearted, straight, straightforward, transparent, true, true-hearted, unaffected, unreserved), prostoduchý (dim, simple minded), prostý (austere, chaste, coarse, frugal, homely, naked, plain, rustic, single, sober, unaffected, unpretentious, unsophisticated, unworldly, vulgar), jednoduchý (easy, elementary, homely, mere, open and shut, single, singular, unsophisticated). (various references)