plain as a pikestaff

plain as a pikestaff

English

Etymology

The word "pikestaff" in this expression is a corruption of packstaff (“the staff used to carry a bundle over the shoulder”).[1][2]

Pronunciation

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Adjective

plain as a pikestaff (not comparable)

1. (simile) Extremely clear and plain to see.
   • 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 12: Cyclops]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], OCLC 560090630:

     ―Don't you know he's dead? says Joe. / ―Paddy Dignam dead! says Alf. / ―Ay, says Joe. / ―Sure I'm after seeing him not five minutes ago, says Alf, as plain as a pikestaff. / ―Who's dead? says Bob Doran. / ―You saw his ghost then, says Joe, God between us and harm.

Translations

extremely clear and plain to see

Latvian: skaidrs kā diena

References

1. Cresswell, Julia (2010-09-09) Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins‎ (in English), OUP Oxford, →ISBN
2. Apperson, George Latimer (2006-05-10) Dictionary of Proverbs‎ (in English), Wordsworth Editions, →ISBN, pages 460