adj. (colloquial).—Watered; NEAT (q.v.).
PLAIN AS A PIKESTAFF (or PACKSTAFFE), phr. (colloquial).—Beyond argument: also PACKSTAFF (adj.) = plain. Also PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON YOUR FACE.
1546. T. BECON [Parker Society, Early Works, 276]. He is no dissembler, his heart and tongue goeth together. He is as PLAIN AS A PACK-STAFF.
1598. JOSEPH HALL, Satires, iii., Prologue, l. 4.
| Not, riddle-like, obscuring their intent; | |
| But, PACK-STAFF PLAIN, utt’ring what thing they meant. | |
| Ibid., vii. Prologue. | |
| Not riddle like, obscuring their intent; | |
| But PACK-STAFFE PLAINE, uttring what thing they ment. |
1599. MARSTON, Scourge of Villanie, I. [HALLIWELL, Works, iii. 249].
| His honestie | |
| Shall be as bare as his anatomie, | |
| To which he bound his wife. O, PACKSTAFFE rimes! | |
| Why not, when court of stars shall see these crimes? |
1641. BERNARD, Terence in English, 89. You make a doubt, where all is PLAINE AS A PIKE STAFFE.
d. 1657. J. BRADFORD, Works [Parker Society, 1853, II. 319]. To make all AS PLAIN AS A PACK-STAFF.
1695. CONGREVE, Love for Love, iv. ‘As witness my hand’ … in great letters. Why, ’tis AS PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON ONE’S FACE.
1749. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 409. Continual intercourse gave me an opportunity of prying into the duke’s inmost soul,… a masked battery to all mankind beside, but PLAIN AS A PIKESTAFF to me.
