Home UK English as plain as a pikestaff

Meaning of as plain as a pikestaff in English:

as plain as a pikestaff

(also plain as a pikestaff)

phrase

British

  • 1Very obvious.

    • ‘But after the battering that it has taken this week, it is as plain as a pikestaff that most observers will be lining up with the Department of Finance on this one.’
    • ‘The Attorney General filed an immediate petition to rehear saying "it is as plain as a pikestaff that a judge has no authority to impose a sentence above the presumptive minimum unless an enhancement factor is found."’
    • ‘"It is plain as a pikestaff, is it not, say the Crown that this attack on Mr Turner was committed by men who had looked for and found weapons and had chosen a fence as a suitable source for those weapons.’
    • ‘Now there may be some at St. Blogs to whom it is plain as a pikestaff what the bishop needs to be doing.’
    • ‘It is as plain as a pikestaff that you had too much to drink.’
    • ‘It is as plain as a pikestaff that we did not have all the relevant facts before us when we voted on March 18.’
    • ‘Why Ireland scores poorly is as plain as a pikestaff.’
    • ‘The reason for America's present activist foreign policy is as plain as a pikestaff and is known to everybody.’
    • ‘‘It's as plain as a pikestaff,’ spokesman John Beyer told Private Aye, ‘that there's an attempt to influence public opinion.’’
    • ‘It is characteristic of thoughtful people that they don't understand some things that to others are as plain as a pikestaff.’
    clear, plain, plain to see, crystal clear, evident, apparent, manifest, patent, conspicuous, pronounced, transparent, clear-cut, palpable, prominent, marked, decided, salient, striking, distinct, bold, noticeable, perceptible, perceivable, visible, discernible, detectable, observable, tangible, recognizable

  • 2Ordinary or unattractive in appearance.

    ‘"Queer child, that Hatty!—plain as a pikestaff", and Mr. Lee took up his newspaper, and put his feet on the mantel.’
    ‘Good god, man, she's plain as a pikestaff with a wardrobe fresh out of the Salvation Army.’
    unattractive, plain, plain-featured, plain-looking, plain as a pikestaff, ordinary-looking, unprepossessing, unlovely, ill-favoured, ugly

Origin

Alteration of as plain as a packstaff, the staff being that of a pedlar, on which he rested his pack of wares.