as plain as a quaker

English translation: without ornamentation, like a Quaker

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:as plain as a quaker
Selected answer:without ornamentation, like a Quaker
Entered by: Patricia Townshend (X)

14:27 Mar 21, 2009
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: as plain as a quaker
It's from Wuthering Heights.

"She had cried out, when I carried up her dinner, that she couldn't bear any longer being in the cold; and I told her the master was going to Thrushcross Grange, and Earnshaw and I needn't hinder her from descending; so, as soon as she heard Heathcliff's horse trot off, she made her appearance, donned in black, and her yellow curls combed back behind her ears
as plain as a Quaker:
she couldn't comb them out.

So, does "as plain as a quaker" mean "as simple as quakers habitually do", or does it mean something else?
Michael Kislov
Russian Federation
Local time: 18:29
without ornamentation, like a Quaker
Explanation:
Quakers wore very plain dress, without any ornamentation. This means that she wears her hair tied back simply and plainly, without any attempt at beautifying herself.
Selected response from:

Patricia Townshend (X)
South Africa
Local time: 17:29
Grading comment
Thank you, Patricia!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +6unadorned/severe
B D Finch
3 +5without ornamentation, like a Quaker
Patricia Townshend (X)
Summary of reference entries provided
Plainness
Kim Metzger

  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
without ornamentation, like a Quaker


Explanation:
Quakers wore very plain dress, without any ornamentation. This means that she wears her hair tied back simply and plainly, without any attempt at beautifying herself.

Patricia Townshend (X)
South Africa
Local time: 17:29
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 36
Grading comment
Thank you, Patricia!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  B D Finch: You pipped me to the post.
5 mins
  -> Thanks - sorry about that :)

agree  Suzan Hamer
15 mins
  -> Thanks Suzan

agree  conejo
58 mins
  -> Thanks conejo

agree  Laurie Price
1 hr
  -> Thanks Laurie

agree  AniseK
2 hrs
  -> Thanks AniseK
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17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
unadorned/severe


Explanation:
Quakers dressed very plainly and rejected elaborate adornment of hair and clothes, make-up etc. She was deliberately arranging her hair in a similarly severe style (though she couldn't bring herself to actually comb the carefully styled curls out, only to hide them).

B D Finch
France
Local time: 16:29
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 84
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger: Severe captures it nicely.
10 mins
  -> Thanks Kim

agree  Patricia Townshend (X)
26 mins
  -> Thanks Patricia

agree  conejo
54 mins
  -> Thanks conejo

agree  Laurie Price
1 hr
  -> Thanks Laurie

agree  AniseK
2 hrs
  -> Thanks AniseK

agree  Christina Keating (X)
4 hrs
  -> Thanks Christina
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Reference comments


16 mins
Reference: Plainness

Reference information:
Plainness
Since their beginnings, Friends have practised "plainness" in how they dress and speak. This has come to be known as their testimony of simplicity.
Traditionally, wearing plain clothes was an answer to a number of Friends' concerns. Expensive styles were used to show social inequality and make statements about wealth. Only a select few could afford expensive adornments, which could then be used to exacerbate differences between people based on class, where people in fancy clothing would not want to be seen socializing with others dressed tattily. This was inspired by the Quaker testimony to equality. In addition, the frequent buying of expensive new styles and discarding what had been bought a month ago, was considered wasteful and self-seeking, where Friends instead aimed to focus on simplicity, and the important things in life. Notably, Friends did not consider it right to judge people on their material possessions, but this could not be achieved in a society which placed an emphasis on keeping up to date with inconsequential but expensive new trends. At the time, this practice of plainness meant Friends were obviously identifiable.
As fashions changed over time, the Quaker ideal of plain dress stood out against contemporary clothing. As a result, the traditional forms of this practice were dropped by most Friends. Today, it is more likely that Friends will try to put their faith into action by dressing in a plain version of current fashions — such as avoiding clothing displaying designer labels. They may also try to buy only the clothing they need, and pay more for fairly traded clothing that has been made ethically.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Society_of_Friends#Pl...

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 277
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