Geometry. a surface generated by a straight line moving at a constant velocity with respect to a fixed point.
3.
Fine Arts. an area of a two-dimensional surface having determinate extension and spatial direction or position: oblique plane; horizontal plane.
4.
a level of dignity, character, existence, development, or the like: a high moral plane.
5.
Aeronautics.
a.
an airplane or a hydroplane: to take a plane to Dallas.
b.
a thin, flat or curved, extended section of an airplane or a hydroplane, affording a supporting surface.
6.
Architecture. a longitudinal section through the axis of a column.
–adjective
7.
flat or level, as a surface.
8.
of or pertaining to planes or plane figures.
–verb (used without object)
9.
to glide or soar.
10.
(of a boat) to rise partly out of the water when moving at high speed.
11.
Informal. to fly or travel in an airplane: We'll drive to Detroit and plane to Los Angeles.
[Origin: 1400–50 for sense “to soar”; 1640–50 for n. and adj. senses; (n.) < L plānum flat surface (n. use of plānus flat); (adj.) < L plānus; first used to distinguish the geometrical senses formerly belonging to plain1; in def. 5, shortened form of airplane, aeroplane, or hydroplane; (v.) late ME planen (of a bird) to soar (cf. MF planer); akin to plain1]
Carpentry. any of various woodworking instruments for paring, truing, or smoothing, or for forming moldings, chamfers, rabbets, grooves, etc., by means of an inclined, adjustable blade moved along and against the piece being worked.
2.
a trowellike tool for smoothing the surface of clay in a brick mold.
–verb (used with object)
3.
to smooth or dress with or as if with a plane or a planer.
4.
to remove by or as if by means of a plane (usually fol. by away or off).
–verb (used without object)
5.
to work with a plane.
6.
to function as a plane.
[Origin: 1275–1325; (n.) ME (< MF) < LL plāna, deriv. of plānāre to smooth, itself deriv. of L plānusplain1; (v.) ME planen (< MF planer) < LL plānāre]
[Latin plānum, flat surface, from neuter of plānus, flat; see pelə-2 in Indo-European roots. N., sense 4, short for aeroplane.]
plane'ness n.
Word History: The plane in which we fly is properly named for a very important element of its structure—the wing that keeps it in the air. But the story behind this name is slightly complicated. To begin with, plane in the sense of "winged vehicle," first recorded in April 1908, is a shortened form of aeroplane. In June of that year plane appeared in a quotation from the London Times that mentioned one of the Wright brothers. Aeroplane, first recorded in 1866, is made up of the prefix aero-, "air, aviation," and the word plane, referring to the structure designed to keep an air vehicle aloft. Originally the plane in such contexts was imagined as flat, hence the choice of the word plane; in practice this surface must curve slightly in order to work. The word aeroplane for the vehicle is first found in 1873. The first recorded appearance of the form airplane in our current sense, which uses air- instead of aero-, is found in 1907. An American flies in an airplane while a Briton still travels in an aeroplane, but both can catch a plane.
"flat surface," 1604, from L. plantum "flat surface," properly neut. of adj. planus "flat, level, plain, clear," from PIE *pla-no- (cf. Lith. plonas "thin;" Celtic *lanon "plain;" perhaps also Gk. pelanos "sacrificial cake, a mixture offered to the gods, offering (of meal, honey, and oil) poured or spread"), suffixed form of base *pele- "to spread out, broad, flat" (cf. O.C.S. polje "flat land, field," Rus. polyi "open;" O.E., O.H.G. feld, M.Du. veld "field"). Fig. sense is attested from 1850. The verb meaning "soar, glide on motionless wings" is first recorded 1611, from M.Fr. planer (16c.), from L. planum on notion of bird gliding with flattened wings. Of boats, etc., "to skim over the surface of water" it is first found 1913.
"tool for smoothing surfaces," 1349, from O.Fr. plane, earlier plaine (14c.), from L.L. plana, from planare "make level," from L. planus "level, flat" (see plane (1)). The verb meaning "to make smooth" is c.1320, from O.Fr. planer (12c.), from L.L. planare.
"tree of the genus Platanus," 1382, from O.Fr. plane, earlier plasne (14c.), from L. platanus, from Gk. platanos, earlier platanistos "plane tree," a species from Asia Minor, associated with platys "broad," in reference to its leaves (see place (n.)). Applied since 1778 in Scotland and northern England to the sycamore, whose leaves somewhat resemble those of the true plane tree.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another; "a flat desk"; "acres of level farmland"; "a plane surface"; "skirts sewn with fine flat seams" [syn: flat]
noun
1.
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets; "the flight was delayed due to trouble with the airplane" [syn: airplane]
2.
(mathematics) an unbounded two-dimensional shape; "we will refer to the plane of the graph as the X-Y plane"; "any line joining two points on a plane lies wholly on that plane"
3.
a level of existence or development; "he lived on a worldly plane"
4.
a power tool for smoothing or shaping wood
5.
a carpenter's hand tool with an adjustable blade for smoothing or shaping wood; "the cabinetmaker used a plane for the finish work"
verb
1.
cut or remove with or as if with a plane; "The machine shaved off fine layers from the piece of wood"
2.
travel on the surface of water
3.
make even or smooth, with or as with a carpenter's plane; "plane the top of the door"
planeAudio Help (plān) Pronunciation Key
Noun
A two-dimensional surface, any two of whose points can be joined by a straight line that lies entirely in the surface.
Main Entry: plane Pronunciation: 'plAn Function: noun 1 a: a surface that contains at least three points not all in a straight line and is such that
a line drawn through any two points in it lies wholly in the surface b: an imaginary plane used to identify parts of the body or a part of the skull —see FRANKFORT HORIZONTAL PLANE, MIDSAGITTAL
PLANE 2: a stage in surgical anesthesia <a light plane of anesthesia is maintained with cyclopropane —Journal of the American Medical
Association>
Flo*ta"tion\, n. [Cf. F. flottation a floating, flottaison water line, fr. flotter to float. See Flotilla.]1. The act, process, or state of floating. 2. The science of floating bodies. Center of flotation. (Shipbuilding) (a) The center of any given plane of flotation. (b) More commonly, the middle of the length of the load water line. --Rankine. Plane, or Line, of flotation, the plane or line in which the horizontal surface of a fluid cuts a body floating in it. See Bearing, n., 9 (c) . Surface of flotation (Shipbuilding), the imaginary surface which all the planes of flotation touch when a vessel rolls or pitches; the envelope of all such planes.
Plain\, a. [Compar. Plainer; superl. Plainest.] [F., level, flat, fr. L. planus, perhaps akin to E. floor. Cf. Llano, Piano, Plan, Plane level, a level surface.]1. Without elevations or depressions; flat; level; smooth; even. See Plane. The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. --Isa. xl. 4. 2. Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair. Our troops beat an army in plain fight. --Felton. 3. Not intricate or difficult; evident; manifest; obvious; clear; unmistakable. "'T is a plain case." --Shak. 4. (a) Void of extraneous beauty or ornament; without conspicious embellishment; not rich; simple. (b) Not highly cultivated; unsophisticated; free from show or pretension; simple; natural; homely; common. "Plain yet pious Christians." --Hammond. "The plain people." --A. Lincoln. (c) Free from affectation or disguise; candid; sincere; artless; honest; frank. "An honest mind, and plain." --Shak. (d) Not luxurious; not highly seasoned; simple; as, plain food. (e) Without beauty; not handsome; homely; as, a plain woman. (f) Not variegated, dyed, or figured; as, plain muslin. (g) Not much varied by modulations; as, a plain tune. Plain battle, open battle; pitched battle. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Plain chant (Mus.) Same as Plain song, below. Plain chart (Naut.), a chart laid down on Mercator's projection. Plain dealer. (a) One who practices plain dealing. (b) A simpleton. [Obs.] --Shak. Plain dealing. See under Dealing. Plain molding (Join.), molding of which the surfaces are plain figures. Plain sewing, sewing of seams by simple and common stitches, in distinct from fancy work, embroidery, etc.; -- distinguished also from designing and fitting garments. Plain song. (a) The Gregorian chant, or canto fermo; the prescribed melody of the Roman Catholic service, sung in unison, in tones of equal length, and rarely extending beyond the compass of an octave. (b) A simple melody. Plain speaking, plainness or bluntness of speech. Syn: Level; flat; smooth; open; artless; unaffected; undisguised; frank; sincere; honest; candid; ingenuous; unembellished; downright; blunt; clear; simple; distinct; manifest; obvious; apparent. See Manifest.
Plain\, a. [Compar. Plainer; superl. Plainest.] [F., level, flat, fr. L. planus, perhaps akin to E. floor. Cf. Llano, Piano, Plan, Plane level, a level surface.]1. Without elevations or depressions; flat; level; smooth; even. See Plane. The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. --Isa. xl. 4. 2. Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair. Our troops beat an army in plain fight. --Felton. 3. Not intricate or difficult; evident; manifest; obvious; clear; unmistakable. "'T is a plain case." --Shak. 4. (a) Void of extraneous beauty or ornament; without conspicious embellishment; not rich; simple. (b) Not highly cultivated; unsophisticated; free from show or pretension; simple; natural; homely; common. "Plain yet pious Christians." --Hammond. "The plain people." --A. Lincoln. (c) Free from affectation or disguise; candid; sincere; artless; honest; frank. "An honest mind, and plain." --Shak. (d) Not luxurious; not highly seasoned; simple; as, plain food. (e) Without beauty; not handsome; homely; as, a plain woman. (f) Not variegated, dyed, or figured; as, plain muslin. (g) Not much varied by modulations; as, a plain tune. Plain battle, open battle; pitched battle. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Plain chant (Mus.) Same as Plain song, below. Plain chart (Naut.), a chart laid down on Mercator's projection. Plain dealer. (a) One who practices plain dealing. (b) A simpleton. [Obs.] --Shak. Plain dealing. See under Dealing. Plain molding (Join.), molding of which the surfaces are plain figures. Plain sewing, sewing of seams by simple and common stitches, in distinct from fancy work, embroidery, etc.; -- distinguished also from designing and fitting garments. Plain song. (a) The Gregorian chant, or canto fermo; the prescribed melody of the Roman Catholic service, sung in unison, in tones of equal length, and rarely extending beyond the compass of an octave. (b) A simple melody. Plain speaking, plainness or bluntness of speech. Syn: Level; flat; smooth; open; artless; unaffected; undisguised; frank; sincere; honest; candid; ingenuous; unembellished; downright; blunt; clear; simple; distinct; manifest; obvious; apparent. See Manifest.
Plain\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plained; p. pr. & vb. n. Plaining.] [Cf. Plane, v.]1. To plane or level; to make plain or even on the surface. [R.] We would rake Europe rather, plain the East. --Wither. 2. To make plain or manifest; to explain. What's dumb in show, I'll plain in speech. --Shak.
Plane\, n. [F., fr. L. platanus, Gr. ?, fr. ? broad; -- so called on account of its broad leaves and spreading form. See Place, and cf. Platane, Plantain the tree.] (Bot.) Any tree of the genus Platanus. Note: The Oriental plane (Platanus orientalis) is a native of Asia. It rises with a straight, smooth, branching stem to a great height, with palmated leaves, and long pendulous peduncles, sustaining several heads of small close-sitting flowers. The seeds are downy, and collected into round, rough, hard balls. The Occidental plane (Platanus occidentalis), which grows to a great height, is a native of North America, where it is popularly called sycamore, buttonwood, and buttonball, names also applied to the California species (Platanus racemosa).
Plane\, a. [L. planus: cf. F. plan. See Plan, a.] Without elevations or depressions; even; level; flat; lying in, or constituting, a plane; as, a plane surface. Note: In science, this word (instead of plain) is almost exclusively used to designate a flat or level surface. Plane angle, the angle included between two straight lines in a plane. Plane chart, Plane curve. See under Chart and Curve. Plane figure, a figure all points of which lie in the same plane. If bounded by straight lines it is a rectilinear plane figure, if by curved lines it is a curvilinear plane figure. Plane geometry, that part of geometry which treats of the relations and properties of plane figures. Plane problem, a problem which can be solved geometrically by the aid of the right line and circle only. Plane sailing (Naut.), the method of computing a ship's place and course on the supposition that the earth's surface is a plane. Plane scale (Naut.), a scale for the use of navigators, on which are graduated chords, sines, tangents, secants, rhumbs, geographical miles, etc. Plane surveying, surveying in which the curvature of the earth is disregarded; ordinary field and topographical surveying of tracts of moderate extent. Plane table, an instrument used for plotting the lines of a survey on paper in the field. Plane trigonometry, the branch of trigonometry in which its principles are applied to plane triangles.
Plane\, n. [F. plane, L. plana. See Plane, v. & a.]1. (Geom.) A surface, real or imaginary, in which, if any two points are taken, the straight line which joins them lies wholly in that surface; or a surface, any section of which by a like surface is a straight line; a surface without curvature. 2. (Astron.) An ideal surface, conceived as coinciding with, or containing, some designated astronomical line, circle, or other curve; as, the plane of an orbit; the plane of the ecliptic, or of the equator. 3. (Mech.) A block or plate having a perfectly flat surface, used as a standard of flatness; a surface plate. 4. (Joinery) A tool for smoothing boards or other surfaces of wood, for forming moldings, etc. It consists of a smooth-soled stock, usually of wood, from the under side or face of which projects slightly the steel cutting edge of a chisel, called the iron, which inclines backward, with an apperture in front for the escape of shavings; as, the jack plane; the smoothing plane; the molding plane, etc. Objective plane (Surv.), the horizontal plane upon which the object which is to be delineated, or whose place is to be determined, is supposed to stand. Perspective plane. See Perspective. Plane at infinity (Geom.), a plane in which points infinitely distant are conceived as situated. Plane iron, the cutting chisel of a joiner's plane. Plane of polarization. (Opt.) See Polarization. Plane of projection. (a) The plane on which the projection is made, corresponding to the perspective plane in perspective; -- called also principal plane. (b) (Descriptive Geom.) One of the planes to which points are referred for the purpose of determining their relative position in space. Plane of refraction or reflection (Opt.), the plane in which lie both the incident ray and the refracted or reflected ray.
Plane\, n. [F. plane, L. plana. See Plane, v. & a.]1. (Geom.) A surface, real or imaginary, in which, if any two points are taken, the straight line which joins them lies wholly in that surface; or a surface, any section of which by a like surface is a straight line; a surface without curvature. 2. (Astron.) An ideal surface, conceived as coinciding with, or containing, some designated astronomical line, circle, or other curve; as, the plane of an orbit; the plane of the ecliptic, or of the equator. 3. (Mech.) A block or plate having a perfectly flat surface, used as a standard of flatness; a surface plate. 4. (Joinery) A tool for smoothing boards or other surfaces of wood, for forming moldings, etc. It consists of a smooth-soled stock, usually of wood, from the under side or face of which projects slightly the steel cutting edge of a chisel, called the iron, which inclines backward, with an apperture in front for the escape of shavings; as, the jack plane; the smoothing plane; the molding plane, etc. Objective plane (Surv.), the horizontal plane upon which the object which is to be delineated, or whose place is to be determined, is supposed to stand. Perspective plane. See Perspective. Plane at infinity (Geom.), a plane in which points infinitely distant are conceived as situated. Plane iron, the cutting chisel of a joiner's plane. Plane of polarization. (Opt.) See Polarization. Plane of projection. (a) The plane on which the projection is made, corresponding to the perspective plane in perspective; -- called also principal plane. (b) (Descriptive Geom.) One of the planes to which points are referred for the purpose of determining their relative position in space. Plane of refraction or reflection (Opt.), the plane in which lie both the incident ray and the refracted or reflected ray.
Plane\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planed; p. pr. & vb. n. Planing.] [Cf. F. planer, L. planare, fr. planus. See Plane, a., Plain, a., and cf. Planish.]1. To make smooth; to level; to pare off the inequalities of the surface of, as of a board or other piece of wood, by the use of a plane; as, to plane a plank. 2. To efface or remove. He planed away the names . . . written on his tables. --Chaucer. 3. Figuratively, to make plain or smooth. [R.] What student came but that you planed her path. --Tennyson.
Plane\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planed; p. pr. & vb. n. Planing.] [Cf. F. planer, L. planare, fr. planus. See Plane, a., Plain, a., and cf. Planish.]1. To make smooth; to level; to pare off the inequalities of the surface of, as of a board or other piece of wood, by the use of a plane; as, to plane a plank. 2. To efface or remove. He planed away the names . . . written on his tables. --Chaucer. 3. Figuratively, to make plain or smooth. [R.] What student came but that you planed her path. --Tennyson.
Plan"ing\, a. & vb. n. fr. Plane, v. t. Planing machine. (a) See Planer. (b) A complex machine for planing wood, especially boards, containing usually a rapidly revolving cutter, which chips off the surface in small shavings as the piece to be planed is passed under it by feeding apparatus.
Plan"ish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planished; p. pr. & vb. n. Planishing.] [OF. planir, F. planer. See Plane, v., and -ish.] To make smooth or plane, as a metallic surface; to condense, toughen, and polish by light blows with a hammer.
Prin"ci*pal\, a. [F., from L. principalis. See Prince.]1. Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable or important; chief; main; as, the principal officers of a Government; the principal men of a state; the principal productions of a country; the principal arguments in a case. Wisdom is the principal thing. --Prov. iv. 7. 2. Of or pertaining to a prince; princely. [A Latinism] [Obs.] --Spenser. Principal axis. See Axis of a curve, under Axis. Principal axes of a quadric (Geom.), three lines in which the principal planes of the solid intersect two and two, as in an ellipsoid. Principal challenge. (Law) See under Challenge. Principal plane. See Plane of projection (a), under Plane. Principal of a quadric (Geom.), three planes each of which is at right angles to the other two, and bisects all chords of the quadric perpendicular to the plane, as in an ellipsoid. Principal point (Persp.), the projection of the point of sight upon the plane of projection. Principal ray (Persp.), the line drawn through the point of sight perpendicular to the perspective plane. Principal section (Crystallog.), a plane passing through the optical axis of a crystal.
Sur*vey"ing\, n. That branch of applied mathematics which teaches the art of determining the area of any portion of the earth's surface, the length and directions of the bounding lines, the contour of the surface, etc., with an accurate delineation of the whole on paper; the act or occupation of making surveys. Geodetic surveying, geodesy. Maritime, or Nautical, surveying, that branch of surveying which determines the forms of coasts and harbors, the entrances of rivers, with the position of islands, rocks, and shoals, the depth of water, etc. Plane surveying. See under Plane, a. Topographical surveying, that branch of surveying which involves the process of ascertaining and representing upon a plane surface the contour, physical features, etc., of any portion of the surface of the earth.
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Audio Help [pleyn] Pronunciation Key noun, adjective, verb, planed, plan·ing. 
