Meaning of as plain as a pikestaff in English:
as plain as a pikestaff
Translate as plain as a pikestaff into Spanish
phrase
(also plain as a pikestaff)
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, recognizable2Ordinary 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.
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