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Plain sailing

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Smooth and easy progress without obstacles or difficulties; originally a nautical term describing sailing in favorable winds, now applied to any endeavor proceeding without complications.

Detailed Definition
Plain sailing means easy progress without serious difficulty, obstruction, or danger. In poetry, the nautical image gives smoothness a sense of favourable weather, clear water, and reliable direction. It can describe a relationship, journey, recovery, argument, or creative process that proceeds more easily than expected. Poets may use it sincerely for relief, or ironically when calm conditions later fail. The phrase is useful because it contrasts tranquillity with the storms, reefs, and contrary winds often used to represent struggle.
Example
Example in poetry:
A voyage poem might promise plain sailing once the reef is passed and the wind turns kind; In a comic school poem, the exam seems plain sailing until the last question bites; The phrase means easy progress without difficulty; A poet can use it sincerely or ironically.
Additional Notes
Plain sailing means easy progress without serious obstacles, from nautical language. In poetry, it can be used sincerely for smooth journeys or ironically just before difficulties arise. The sea image invites contrast with storms, reefs, fog, and rough water. Students should note that the phrase emphasises movement rather than arrival. It is useful in poems about love, work, recovery, or plans that appear simple but may conceal risk.
Also Known As
easy
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