Sim"ple (?), a.
[Compar. Simpler (?);
superl. Simplest.] [F., fr. L.
simplus, or simplex, gen. simplicis. The first
part of the Latin words is probably akin to E. same, and the
sense, one, one and the same; cf. L. semel once, singuli
one to each, single. Cg. Single, a.,
Same, a., and for the last part of the word
cf. Double, Complex.] 1. Single;
not complex; not infolded or entangled; uncombined; not compounded;
not blended with something else; not complicated; as, a simple
substance; a simple idea; a simple sound; a
simple machine; a simple problem; simple
tasks.
2. Plain; unadorned; as, simple
dress. "Simple truth." Spenser. "His simple
story." Burns.
3. Mere; not other than; being only.
A medicine . . . whose simple touch
Is powerful to araise King Pepin.
Shak.
4. Not given to artifice, stratagem, or
duplicity; undesigning; sincere; true.
Full many fine men go upon my score, as simple
as I stand here, and I trust them.
Marston.
Must thou trust Tradition's simple
tongue?
Byron.
To be simple is to be great.
Emerson.
5. Artless in manner; unaffected;
unconstrained; natural; inartificial;; straightforward.
In simple manners all the secret
lies.
Young.
6. Direct; clear; intelligible; not abstruse
or enigmatical; as, a simple statement; simple
language.
7. Weak in intellect; not wise or sagacious;
of but moderate understanding or attainments; hence, foolish;
silly. "You have simple wits." Shak.
The simple believeth every word; but the prudent
man looketh well to his going.
Prov. xiv. 15.
8. Not luxurious; without much variety; plain;
as, a simple diet; a simple way of living.
Thy simple fare and all thy plain
delights.
Cowper.
9. Humble; lowly; undistinguished.
A simple husbandman in garments
gray.
Spenser.
Clergy and laity, male and female, gentle and
simple made the fuel of the same fire.
Fuller.
10. (BOt.) Without subdivisions;
entire; as, a simple stem; a simple leaf.
11. (Chem.) Not capable of being
decomposed into anything more simple or ultimate by any means at
present known; elementary; thus, atoms are regarded as simple
bodies. Cf. Ultimate, a.
&fist; A simple body is one that has not as yet been
decomposed. There are indications that many of our simple elements are
still compound bodies, though their actual decomposition into anything
simpler may never be accomplished.
12. (Min.) Homogenous.
13. (Zoöl.) Consisting of a single
individual or zooid; as, a simple ascidian; -- opposed to
compound.
Simple contract (Law), any contract,
whether verbal or written, which is not of record or under seal.
J. W. Smith. Chitty. -- Simple
equation (Alg.), an equation containing but one
unknown quantity, and that quantity only in the first degree. --
Simple eye (Zoöl.), an eye having a
single lens; -- opposed to compound eye. -- Simple
interest. See under Interest. --
Simple larceny. (Law) See under
Larceny. -- Simple obligation (Rom.
Law), an obligation which does not depend for its execution
upon any event provided for by the parties, or is not to become void
on the happening of any such event. Burrill.
Syn. -- Single; uncompounded; unmingled; unmixed; mere;
uncombined; elementary; plain; artless; sincere; harmless;
undesigning; frank; open; unaffected; inartificial; unadorned;
credulous; silly; foolish; shallow; unwise. -- Simple,
Silly. One who is simple is sincere, unaffected, and
inexperienced in duplicity, -- hence liable to be duped. A
silly person is one who is ignorant or weak and also self-
confident; hence, one who shows in speech and act a lack of good
sense. Simplicity is incompatible with duplicity, artfulness,
or vanity, while silliness is consistent with all three.
Simplicity denotes lack of knowledge or of guile;
silliness denotes want of judgment or right purpose, a defect
of character as well as of education.
I am a simple woman, much too weak
To oppose your cunning.
Shak.
He is the companion of the silliest people in
their most silly pleasure; he is ready for every impertinent
entertainment and diversion.
Law.
Sim"ple (?), n. [F. See Simple,
a.] 1. Something not mixed or
compounded. "Compounded of many simples."
Shak.
2. (Med.) A medicinal plant; -- so
called because each vegetable was supposed to possess its particular
virtue, and therefore to constitute a simple remedy.
What virtue is in this remedy lies in the naked
simple itself as it comes over from the Indies.
Sir W. Temple.
3. (Weaving) (a) A
drawloom. (b) A part of the apparatus for
raising the heddles of a drawloom.
4. (R. C. Ch.) A feast which is not a
double or a semidouble.
Sim"ple, v. i. To gather simples,
or medicinal plants.
As simpling on the flowery hills she [Circe]
strayed.
Garth.
Sim"ple (?), a.
[Compar. Simpler (?);
superl. Simplest.] [F., fr. L.
simplus, or simplex, gen. simplicis. The first
part of the Latin words is probably akin to E. same, and the
sense, one, one and the same; cf. L. semel once, singuli
one to each, single. Cg. Single, a.,
Same, a., and for the last part of the word
cf. Double, Complex.] 1. Single;
not complex; not infolded or entangled; uncombined; not compounded;
not blended with something else; not complicated; as, a simple
substance; a simple idea; a simple sound; a
simple machine; a simple problem; simple
tasks.
2. Plain; unadorned; as, simple
dress. "Simple truth." Spenser. "His simple
story." Burns.
3. Mere; not other than; being only.
A medicine . . . whose simple touch
Is powerful to araise King Pepin.
Shak.
4. Not given to artifice, stratagem, or
duplicity; undesigning; sincere; true.
Full many fine men go upon my score, as simple
as I stand here, and I trust them.
Marston.
Must thou trust Tradition's simple
tongue?
Byron.
To be simple is to be great.
Emerson.
5. Artless in manner; unaffected;
unconstrained; natural; inartificial;; straightforward.
In simple manners all the secret
lies.
Young.
6. Direct; clear; intelligible; not abstruse
or enigmatical; as, a simple statement; simple
language.
7. Weak in intellect; not wise or sagacious;
of but moderate understanding or attainments; hence, foolish;
silly. "You have simple wits." Shak.
The simple believeth every word; but the prudent
man looketh well to his going.
Prov. xiv. 15.
8. Not luxurious; without much variety; plain;
as, a simple diet; a simple way of living.
Thy simple fare and all thy plain
delights.
Cowper.
9. Humble; lowly; undistinguished.
A simple husbandman in garments
gray.
Spenser.
Clergy and laity, male and female, gentle and
simple made the fuel of the same fire.
Fuller.
10. (BOt.) Without subdivisions;
entire; as, a simple stem; a simple leaf.
11. (Chem.) Not capable of being
decomposed into anything more simple or ultimate by any means at
present known; elementary; thus, atoms are regarded as simple
bodies. Cf. Ultimate, a.
&fist; A simple body is one that has not as yet been
decomposed. There are indications that many of our simple elements are
still compound bodies, though their actual decomposition into anything
simpler may never be accomplished.
12. (Min.) Homogenous.
13. (Zoöl.) Consisting of a single
individual or zooid; as, a simple ascidian; -- opposed to
compound.
Simple contract (Law), any contract,
whether verbal or written, which is not of record or under seal.
J. W. Smith. Chitty. -- Simple
equation (Alg.), an equation containing but one
unknown quantity, and that quantity only in the first degree. --
Simple eye (Zoöl.), an eye having a
single lens; -- opposed to compound eye. -- Simple
interest. See under Interest. --
Simple larceny. (Law) See under
Larceny. -- Simple obligation (Rom.
Law), an obligation which does not depend for its execution
upon any event provided for by the parties, or is not to become void
on the happening of any such event. Burrill.
Syn. -- Single; uncompounded; unmingled; unmixed; mere;
uncombined; elementary; plain; artless; sincere; harmless;
undesigning; frank; open; unaffected; inartificial; unadorned;
credulous; silly; foolish; shallow; unwise. -- Simple,
Silly. One who is simple is sincere, unaffected, and
inexperienced in duplicity, -- hence liable to be duped. A
silly person is one who is ignorant or weak and also self-
confident; hence, one who shows in speech and act a lack of good
sense. Simplicity is incompatible with duplicity, artfulness,
or vanity, while silliness is consistent with all three.
Simplicity denotes lack of knowledge or of guile;
silliness denotes want of judgment or right purpose, a defect
of character as well as of education.
I am a simple woman, much too weak
To oppose your cunning.
Shak.
He is the companion of the silliest people in
their most silly pleasure; he is ready for every impertinent
entertainment and diversion.
Law.
Sim"ple (?), n. [F. See Simple,
a.] 1. Something not mixed or
compounded. "Compounded of many simples."
Shak.
2. (Med.) A medicinal plant; -- so
called because each vegetable was supposed to possess its particular
virtue, and therefore to constitute a simple remedy.
What virtue is in this remedy lies in the naked
simple itself as it comes over from the Indies.
Sir W. Temple.
3. (Weaving) (a) A
drawloom. (b) A part of the apparatus for
raising the heddles of a drawloom.
4. (R. C. Ch.) A feast which is not a
double or a semidouble.
Sim"ple, v. i. To gather simples,
or medicinal plants.
As simpling on the flowery hills she [Circe]
strayed.
Garth.
