plain-sailing

Meanings

adjectiveplain-sailing (not comparable)

not comparableEasy, simple, straightforward.
[…] I took an uncommon fancy to him. He's a straightforward, plain-sailing fellow. I shall be very glad to see him again.
1873, Louisa Parr, “Rays of Hope”, in Hero Carthew or The Prescotts of Pamphillon […] (Leisure Hour Series), New York, N.Y.: Holt & Williams, →OCLC, page 91
2 more examples
[W]hat was the mainspring of her mind—round what axis did it revolve—that was what puzzled him. Clearly enough it was not like most women's, least of all like that of happy, healthy, plain-sailing Bessie.
1887, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “Bessie is asked in Marriage”, in Jess, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 31
But the plain-sailing tradesman who must be taken as the typical manager (for the west end of London is not the whole theatrical world) is by no means equally qualified to judge whether a play is safe from prosecution or not.
1909 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet. Preface.”, in The Doctor’s Dilemma, Getting Married, & The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet, London: Constable and Company, published 1911, →OCLC, page 303
Synonyms: as a duck takes to water, basic, easy, prosaic, no-fuss, easy as 123, easy as ABC, easy as cake

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveEasy, simple, straightforward.

Also see

Origin

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

Full word history & related roots →