# plane

/ˈpɫeɪn/ (US) · /plˈeɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/plane
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. aircraft

noun · CEFR A1

a vehicle with wings that flies through the air.

For teachers: a powered fixed-wing aircraft; a shortened form of airplane or aeroplane.

- The plane took off on time and reached London two hours later.
- The cargo plane circled the airfield for twenty minutes before receiving clearance to land on the secondary runway.

### 2. flat surface

noun · CEFR B2

a flat or level surface, especially in mathematics.

For teachers: a flat surface on which a straight line joining any two points on it would wholly lie.

- The graph shows how the points move across a horizontal plane.
- The architect's drawing represented the building's facade as a series of intersecting vertical planes that created a sense of depth.

### 3. level of existence

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a particular level of thought, existence, or development.

For teachers: a level of existence, consciousness, or development, often used in philosophical or spiritual contexts.

- The two scientists were debating on a completely different intellectual plane.
- The composer claimed that his latest symphony was intended to transport the listener to a higher spiritual plane through its complex harmonies.

### 4. woodworking tool

noun · CEFR B2

a tool with a blade used to make wood surfaces smooth.

For teachers: a tool used for smoothing or shaping wood by shaving thin layers from the surface.

- He used a hand plane to smooth the rough edges of the wooden table.
- The carpenter adjusted the blade of his block plane to ensure the shavings were thin enough to leave a glass-like finish on the oak.

### 5. type of tree

noun · CEFR B2

a large tree with broad leaves and bark that peels off in patches.

For teachers: any of several large trees of the genus Platanus, characterized by maple-like leaves and exfoliating bark.

- The street was lined with old plane trees that provided plenty of shade.
- London plane trees are particularly valued in urban environments for their ability to thrive despite high levels of air pollution.

### 6. to smooth wood

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to make a piece of wood smooth using a special tool.

For teachers: to smooth or level a wooden surface using a plane tool. Transitive — takes the wood as its object.

- You need to plane the bottom of the door so it doesn't rub on the carpet.
- After the timber had dried sufficiently, the craftsman began to plane the boards to a uniform thickness for the cabinet doors.

### 7. to skim over water

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to move fast enough in a boat that the front lifts out of the water.

For teachers: to move over the surface of water at high speed, such that the hull is supported by hydrodynamic lift rather than buoyancy.

- The small motorboat began to plane as it gained speed across the lake.
- The hull was specifically designed to plane at lower speeds, significantly reducing drag and improving fuel efficiency during coastal transit.

### 8. flat

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

completely flat or level.

For teachers: relating to or being a flat surface; two-dimensional in nature.

- The teacher asked us to calculate the area of a plane figure.
- The study of plane geometry focuses on the properties of shapes that exist within a single, flat dimension.

## Examples

- The plane lands at the airport on time.
- We had to wait at the gate for two hours before our plane was ready for boarding.
- Modern commercial aviation relies on the efficiency of the jet plane to transport hundreds of passengers across oceans in a single flight.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.