/ peɪnt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U ] a liquid that is put on surfaces to give them a particular colour; a layer of this liquid when it has dried on a surface :
white paint
gloss / matt / acrylic paint
The woodwork has recently been given a fresh coat of paint .
Wet paint! (= used as a sign)
The paint is starting to peel off.
—see also greasepaint , oil paint , warpaint
2.
paints [ pl. ] tubes or blocks of paint used for painting pictures :
oil paints
■ verb
1.
paint sth (with sth) to cover a surface or object with paint :
[ vn ]
We've had the house painted.
Paint the shed with weather-resistant paint.
a brightly painted barge
[ vn - adj ]
The walls were painted yellow.
[also vn - n , v ]
2.
paint (in sth) | paint sth (on sth) to make a picture or design using paints :
[ vn ]
to paint portraits
A friend painted the children for me (= painted a picture of the children) .
Slogans had been painted on the walls.
[ v ]
She paints in oils.
My mother paints well.
3.
[ vn ] paint sb/sth (as sth) to give a particular impression of sb/sth
SYN portray :
The article paints them as a bunch of petty criminals.
The documentary painted her in a bad light.
4.
[ vn ] to put coloured make-up on your nails, lips, etc.
•
IDIOMS
- paint a (grim, gloomy, rosy, etc.) picture of sb/sth
- paint the town red
- paint sth with a broad brush
—more at black adjective
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- paint sth out
- paint over sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from peint painted, past participle of Old French peindre , from Latin pingere to paint.