A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

place of work • working place
place of work —the office, factory, etc. where a person works:
An employee wishing to leave his place of work must give his
employer a similar prior notice as described above.
working place —a specific location at which a worker exe-
cutes his work: Shift-man —a man who prepares the working
places at night in a colliery for the men who come in at next
shift.
plain and simple • pure and simple
plain and simple —(of language, instructions, etc.) clear; not
complicated: He can explain matters in plain and simple terms
that are easy for a mainstream American to grasp.
pure and simple —nothing but…; nothing besides… (used
in post-position for emphasis): This is envy, pure and simple,
and a tax policy based on envy is the worst kind.
plain men • plainsmen
plain men —(also: plain people) ordinary or average men;
people not given to complex reasoning or speculation: The
first people to listen to Jesus’ words and to become his disciples
were plain men, fishermen of Galilee.
plainsmen —(also: plains people) inhabitants of the wide open
plains of a particular region: Experienced ranchmen never
turn a bunch of green brood-mares out unless accompanied
by three or four of these sagacious little plainsmen.
plain people • plains people
plain people —
1
. (also: plain men) ordinary or average men;
people not given to complex reasoning or speculation: The
plain people of Northern Ireland are surprised by nothing and
shocked by very little. 2. (Plain People) members of religious
groups who practice a simple way of life: The Plain People,
as they are known, won’t use automobiles or tractors, have no
telephones, plumbing or political parties.
plains people —
1
. (also: plainsmen) inhabitants of the wide
open plains of a particular region: The appellation “Naga” was
actually given to these hill tribes by the plains people. 2. (also:
Plains Indians) Indians of the Great Plains of central United
States and Canada: As a plains people they [the Pawnee] were
largely dependent upon the chase.
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