English Explanatory Dictionary

plain sailing

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The navigation of waters free from hazards or unfavourable winds.
  2. Obsolete spelling of plane sailing (“a technique for navigation using the assumption that the journey occurs over a plane or flat surface rather than the actual curved surface of the Earth, which is sufficiently accurate over short distances”).
  3. Something that is easy, simple, or straightforward; something that offers no difficulties or trouble.

Pronunciation

/ˌpleɪn ˈseɪlɪŋ/ En-us-plain sailing.oga

Word forms

plain sailing plane sailing

Etymology

From plain (adjective) + sailing. Sense 2 (“something that is easy, simple, or straightforward”) is attested slightly later than plain-sailing (adjective), and so could have been derived from it.

Synonyms

child's play smooth sailing walk in the park bagatelle waltz breeze cake and gingerbread cakewalk cinch doddle doss duck soup easy pickings gimme layup low-hanging fruit no-brainer open and shut case picnic piece of cake piece of piss plain sailing plane sailing slam dunk snap walkover

Related words

plain-sailing
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