*simp*

a. Free from warmth of passion or feeling. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make worse; -- the opposite of improve. [ R. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To grow worse; to deteriorate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Reduction from a better to a worse state; as, disimprovement of the earth; specific features which are worse than former features; disimprovements in the new Windows operating system. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. (Med.) either of two forms of herpesvirus infection, distinguished as being caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes mostly sores and eruptions around the mouth (cold sores and fever blisters) and at other points above the waist, and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), causing genital herpes. HSV-1 is also known in some cases to cause genital herpes infections. [ PJC ]

. The absence of pomp or display which Jefferson aimed at in his administration as President (1801-1809), eschewing display or ceremony tending to distinguish the President from the people, as in going to the capital on horseback and with no escort, the abolition of court etiquette and the weekly levee, refusal to recognize titles of honor, etc. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. To use for a bad purpose; to abuse; to misuse; as, to misimprove time, talents, advantages, etc. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Ill use or employment; use for a bad purpose. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. simplified excessively so as to distort or misrepresent; -- of facts, assertions, or communications. Contrasted with overcomplicated.
Syn. -- simplistic. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. to simplify excessively so as to distort or misrepresent; -- of facts, assertions, or communications; as, Don't oversimplify the rules.
Syn. -- make too simple. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.[ Malay simpei. ] (Zool.) A long-tailed monkey (Semnopitchecus melalophus) native of Sumatra. It has a crest of black hair. The forehead and cheeks are fawn color, the upper parts tawny and red, the under parts white. Called also black-crested monkey, and sinpae. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Simpered p. pr. & vb. n. Simpering. ] [ Cf. Norw. semper fine, smart, dial. Dan. semper, simper, affected, coy, prudish, OSw. semper one who affectedly refrains from eating, Sw. sipp finical, prim, LG. sipp. ] 1. To smile in a silly, affected, or conceited manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

Behold yond simpering dame. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

With a made countenance about her mouth, between simpering and smiling. ir. P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To glimmer; to twinkle. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet can I mark how stars above
Simper and shine. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A constrained, self-conscious smile; an affected, silly smile; a smirk. [ 1913 Webster ]

The conscious simper, and the jealous leer. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who simpers. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

A simperer that a court affords. T. Nevile. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Simper, v. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a simpering manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Simpler superl. Simplest. ] [ F., fr. L. simplus, or simplex, gen. simplicis. The first part of the Latin words is probably akin to E. same, and the sense, one, one and the same; cf. L. semel once, singuli one to each, single. Cg. Single, a., Same, a., and for the last part of the word cf. Double, Complex. ] 1. Single; not complex; not infolded or entangled; uncombined; not compounded; not blended with something else; not complicated; as, a simple substance; a simple idea; a simple sound; a simple machine; a simple problem; simple tasks. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Plain; unadorned; as, simple dress. “Simple truth.” Spenser. “His simple story.” Burns. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Mere; not other than; being only. [ 1913 Webster ]

A medicine . . . whose simple touch
Is powerful to araise King Pepin. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not given to artifice, stratagem, or duplicity; undesigning; sincere; true. [ 1913 Webster ]

Full many fine men go upon my score, as simple as I stand here, and I trust them. Marston. [ 1913 Webster ]

Must thou trust Tradition's simple tongue? Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be simple is to be great. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Artless in manner; unaffected; unconstrained; natural; inartificial;; straightforward. [ 1913 Webster ]

In simple manners all the secret lies. Young. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Direct; clear; intelligible; not abstruse or enigmatical; as, a simple statement; simple language. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Weak in intellect; not wise or sagacious; of but moderate understanding or attainments; hence, foolish; silly. “You have simple wits.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The simple believeth every word; but the prudent man looketh well to his going. Prov. xiv. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Not luxurious; without much variety; plain; as, a simple diet; a simple way of living. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy simple fare and all thy plain delights. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Humble; lowly; undistinguished. [ 1913 Webster ]

A simple husbandman in garments gray. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Clergy and laity, male and female, gentle and simple made the fuel of the same fire. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (BOt.) Without subdivisions; entire; as, a simple stem; a simple leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. (Chem.) Not capable of being decomposed into anything more simple or ultimate by any means at present known; elementary; thus, atoms are regarded as simple bodies. Cf. Ultimate, a. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ A simple body is one that has not as yet been decomposed. There are indications that many of our simple elements are still compound bodies, though their actual decomposition into anything simpler may never be accomplished. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. (Min.) Homogenous. [ 1913 Webster ]

13. (Zool.) Consisting of a single individual or zooid; as, a simple ascidian; -- opposed to compound. [ 1913 Webster ]

Simple contract (Law), any contract, whether verbal or written, which is not of record or under seal. J. W. Smith. Chitty. --
Simple equation (Alg.), an equation containing but one unknown quantity, and that quantity only in the first degree. --
Simple eye (Zool.), an eye having a single lens; -- opposed to compound eye. --
Simple interest. See under Interest. --
Simple larceny. (Law) See under Larceny. --
Simple obligation (Rom. Law), an obligation which does not depend for its execution upon any event provided for by the parties, or is not to become void on the happening of any such event. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Single; uncompounded; unmingled; unmixed; mere; uncombined; elementary; plain; artless; sincere; harmless; undesigning; frank; open; unaffected; inartificial; unadorned; credulous; silly; foolish; shallow; unwise. -- Simple, Silly. One who is simple is sincere, unaffected, and inexperienced in duplicity, -- hence liable to be duped. A silly person is one who is ignorant or weak and also self-confident; hence, one who shows in speech and act a lack of good sense. Simplicity is incompatible with duplicity, artfulness, or vanity, while silliness is consistent with all three. Simplicity denotes lack of knowledge or of guile; silliness denotes want of judgment or right purpose, a defect of character as well as of education. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am a simple woman, much too weak
To oppose your cunning. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

He is the companion of the silliest people in their most silly pleasure; he is ready for every impertinent entertainment and diversion. Law. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. See Simple, a. ] 1. Something not mixed or compounded. “Compounded of many simples.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) A medicinal plant; -- so called because each vegetable was supposed to possess its particular virtue, and therefore to constitute a simple remedy. [ 1913 Webster ]

What virtue is in this remedy lies in the naked simple itself as it comes over from the Indies. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Weaving) (a) A drawloom. (b) A part of the apparatus for raising the heddles of a drawloom. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (R. C. Ch.) A feast which is not a double or a semidouble. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To gather simples, or medicinal plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

As simpling on the flowery hills she [ Circe ] strayed. Garth. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sincere; inguenuous; guileless. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Artless; guileless; simple-hearted; undesigning; unsuspecting; devoid of duplicity. Blackstone. -- Sim"ple-mind`ed*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

n. The quality or state of being simple; simplicity. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who collects simples, or medicinal plants; a herbalist; a simplist. [ 1913 Webster ]

Simpler's joy. (Bot.) Vervain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. simplesse. ] Simplicity; silliness. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a trade name for a fat substitute prepared as microparticles of protein from whey. It has little fat, but has a consistency and taste resembling fat, and is thus used to prepare foods low in fat for dietetic purposes. [ Trade name ] [ PJC ]

n. [ Cf. F. simplet, It. semplicione. ] A person of weak intellect; a silly person. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. simplicien. ] One who is simple. [ Obs. ] Arnway. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. simplicité, L. simplicitas. See Simple. ] 1. The quality or state of being simple, unmixed, or uncompounded; as, the simplicity of metals or of earths. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The quality or state of being not complex, or of consisting of few parts; as, the simplicity of a machine. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of acuteness and sagacity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Marquis Dorset, a man, for his harmless simplicity neither misliked nor much regarded. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

In wit a man; simplicity a child. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Freedom from artificial ornament, pretentious style, or luxury; plainness; as, simplicity of dress, of style, or of language; simplicity of diet; simplicity of life. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Freedom from subtlety or abstruseness; clearness; as, the simplicity of a doctrine; the simplicity of an explanation or a demonstration. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Weakness of intellect; silliness; folly. [ 1913 Webster ]

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning? Prov. i. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. simplification. ] The act of simplifying. A. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Simplified p. pr. & vb. n. Simplifying ] [ Cf. F. simplifier, LL. simplificare. See Simple, and -fy. ] To make simple; to make less complex; to make clear by giving the explanation for; to show an easier or shorter process for doing or making. [ 1913 Webster ]

The collection of duties is drawn to a point, and so far simplified. A. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is important, in scientific pursuits, to be caitious in simplifying our deductions. W. Nicholson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One skilled in simples, or medicinal plants; a simpler. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to simples, or a simplist. [ R. ] Wilkinson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Simplicity. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Gram.) See Symploce. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a simple manner or state; considered in or by itself; without addition; along; merely; solely; barely. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ They ] make that now good or evil, . . . which otherwise of itself were not simply the one or the other. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Simply the thing I am
Shall make me live. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Plainly; without art or subtlety. [ 1913 Webster ]

Subverting worldly strong and worldly wise
By simply meek. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Weakly; foolishly. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Absence of simplicity; artfulness. C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]