paint

[ peynt ]

/ peɪnt /

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See synonyms for: paint / painted / painting on Thesaurus.com

noun

a substance composed of solid coloring matter suspended in a liquid medium and applied as a protective or decorative coating to various surfaces, or to canvas or other materials in producing a work of art.

an application of this.

the dried surface pigment: Don't scuff the paint.

the solid coloring matter alone; pigment.

facial cosmetics, especially lipstick, rouge, etc., designed to heighten natural color.

Chiefly Western U.S. a pied, calico, or spotted horse or pony; pinto.

verb (used with object)

to coat, cover, or decorate (something) with paint: to paint a fence.

to produce (a picture, design, etc.) in paint: to paint a portrait.

to represent in paint, as in oils, tempera, or watercolor: to paint an actress as the Muse of tragedy.

to depict as if by painting; describe vividly in words: The ads painted the resort as a winter wonderland.

to color by or as if by painting: Sunset painted the clouds pink.

to apply a substance to, as a liquid medicine or a cosmetic: to paint a cut with iodine.

verb (used without object)

to coat or cover anything with paint.

to engage in painting as an art: She has begun to paint in her spare time.

to put on or use facial cosmetics.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Idioms about paint

paint the town red, Informal. to celebrate boisterously, especially by making a round of stops at bars and nightclubs.Also paint the town.

Origin of paint

1200–50; Middle English peinten (v.) <Old French peint, past participle of peindre<Latin pingere to paint; see picture

OTHER WORDS FROM paint

paint·a·ble, adjectivepaintless, adjectiveoutpaint, verb (used with object)

Words nearby paint

painkiller, painless, pain point, pains, painstaking, paint, paintball, paintball game, paint black, paintbox, paint bridge

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use paint in a sentence

If Embiid even steps foot in the paint, the nearest help defender slides over to deny an entry pass until the man guarding Embiid can steel himself enough to force Embiid off his spot.
When Joel Embiid Posts Up, The Celtics Are Ready|Jared Dubin|August 21, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
They each finished the regular season ranked among the top 10 in the NBA in defensive rating and opponent points in the paint.
What Can LeBron’s Previous Top-Seeded Teams Tell Us About This One?|Andres Waters|August 18, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
While on the water, the fishermen beat the canoe with banana leaves, applied body paint, blew on conch shells and chanted in synchrony.
Why do we miss the rituals put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic?|Sujata Gupta|August 14, 2020|Science News
Many of those products had little to no English language instruction and contained methylene chloride, commonly used for paint removal, which is banned for retail sale by the EPA because exposure can result in death.
Environment Report: One Way to Force Companies to Emit Less Carbon|MacKenzie Elmer|August 10, 2020|Voice of San Diego

She’s more concerned with tracking, for instance, how many possessions the Dream can get Carter into the paint, as opposed to times down the floor when she’s limited to the perimeter.
The Pace Of Play Has Never Been Faster In The WNBA|Howard Megdal|August 6, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
U.S. spies are worried the long-awaited Senate review will paint targets on their backs.
CIA Offers New Security Checks for ‘Torture Report’ Spies|Shane Harris, Kimberly Dozier|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I want to paint what I feel,” he said to Theo, “and feel what I paint.
Decoding Vincent Van Gogh’s Tempestuous, Fragile Mind|Nick Mafi|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The idea of being able to paint together was the direction we were all hinting toward anyway.
Herbie Hancock Holds Forth|David Yaffe|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At this point, he became Tom Sawyer, letting his musical compatriots—and the folk tradition—help paint his musical fence.
Digging the Gold in Dylan’s ‘Basement’|Malcolm Jones|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
During the day they would paint portraits of Spahn, using oil paint on small canvases that they had brought.
Gay Talese on Charlie Manson’s Home on the Range|Gay Talese|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She apparently prefers to paint single figures of women and young girls, but her works include a variety of subjects.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
The general ensemble of war-paint and spotted ponies was enough for me; I didn't need to be told that it was my move.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
He went into the nursery, unearthed the now-disused Noah's Ark, and sucked the paint off as many animals as remained.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
A knife would hurt, but Aunty Rosa had told him, a year ago, that if he sucked paint he would die.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling
"Perhaps I shall be able to paint your picture some day," said Edna with a smile when they were seated.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin

British Dictionary definitions for paint

paint

/ (peɪnt) /

noun

a substance used for decorating or protecting a surface, esp a mixture consisting of a solid pigment suspended in a liquid, that when applied to a surface dries to form a hard coating

a dry film of paint on a surface

the solid pigment of a paint before it is suspended in liquid

informal face make-up, such as rouge

short for greasepaint

verb

to make (a picture) of (a figure, landscape, etc) with paint applied to a surface such as canvas

to coat (a surface) with paint, as in decorating

(tr) to apply (liquid) onto (a surface)her mother painted the cut with antiseptic

(tr) to apply make-up onto (the face, lips, etc)

(tr) to describe vividly in words

paint the town red informal to celebrate uninhibitedly; go on a spree

Derived forms of paint

painty, adjective

Word Origin for paint

C13: from Old French peint painted, from peindre to paint, from Latin pingere to paint, adorn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

paint

Idioms about paint

Origin of paint

OTHER WORDS FROM paint

Words nearby paint

Words related to paint

How to use paint in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for paint

Derived forms of paint

Word Origin for paint