paint

PAYNT/peɪnt/

21 meanings of paint

1
nouncountable or uncountable
A colored liquid or paste you brush on, which dries into a hard cover that protects or decorates a surface.
Like a colored skin you brush on that turns hard once it dries.
We bought blue paint for the bedroom walls.
The old paint was peeling off the garden fence.
Similarcolor, pigment
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2
verbtransitive
To cover a surface or object with paint using a brush, roller, or spray.
Like spreading butter on bread, but you spread color onto a wall.
They paint the fence every summer to keep it from rotting.
She painted her bedroom a soft yellow over the weekend.
Similarcoat, decorate
3
verbtransitive
To make a picture or image using paints.
Like drawing, but you use a brush and colored liquid instead of a pencil.
She loves to paint flowers and small birds.
He painted a picture of the snowy mountains.
Similardepict, portray, picture, represent
4
verbintransitive
To make pictures with paint, as a hobby or as a job.
Like writing stories, but you use brushes and color instead of words.
She paints every weekend in her small studio.
He learned to paint when he was a young boy.
5
nouncountable or uncountableplural
A set of small blocks or pots of different colors, used for making pictures.
Like a tray of different colored buttons you press a brush into.
She opened her box of paint and chose the brightest red.
The teacher handed each child some paint and a brush.
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6
verbfigurativelytransitive
To describe a person or thing so clearly that others can picture it.
Like drawing a picture in someone's mind using only words.
Good writers paint scenes that readers can almost see.
Her speech painted the future in bright, hopeful colors.
Similardepict, portray, describe, picture, represent
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7
noununcountable
Colored makeup worn on the face, such as lipstick or color for the cheeks.
Like coloring your face the way you color a picture.
She put on her paint before heading out to the party.
He grumbled that she wore too much paint on her cheeks.
Similarmakeup, cosmetics, greasepaint
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8
verbtransitive
To spread something onto a surface the way you spread paint.
Like brushing one thing on smoothly, the way you put paint on a wall.
She painted glue along the edge of the paper.
Paint a thin layer of oil onto the hot pan.
Similarbrush, spread, dab, daub, apply
9
verbtransitive
To cover something with spots or patches of color, like paint.
Like splashing little dots of color all over something.
Morning sunlight painted the wall with bright spots.
Fallen leaves paint the path with red and gold.
Similarcolor, streak, splash, dapple, tinge
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10
verbintransitive
To put color or makeup on your face to look prettier.
Like coloring in a drawing, but on your own face.
Young women paint before stepping out for the evening.
She painted heavily before the masquerade ball.
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11
nounslangcountable or uncountable
In basketball, the marked area near the basket where players push for position close to the hoop.
Like a special zone on the floor that everyone fights to stand in.
The tall center dominated in the paint all game.
Defenders collapsed into the paint to stop his drive.
Similarlane, key
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12
verbtransitive
To draw a button, window, or other part of a program onto a computer screen.
Like an artist filling in a drawing, but the computer fills in shapes on the screen.
The app paints each icon onto the screen as it opens.
Programs paint the buttons and menus you see on screen.
Similarrender, draw
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13
nouncountable or uncountable
The mark or glow an object makes on a radar screen.
Like the bright spot a flashlight makes when it hits something in the dark.
The radar showed clear paint from the approaching plane.
Operators watched the paint fade as the aircraft moved away.
Similarblip, return, echo
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14
verbslangtransitive
To find or track something using radar.
Like shining a flashlight on someone in the dark so you can see where they are.
The fighter painted the enemy jet before firing.
Ground crews paint incoming planes on their screens.
Similarilluminate, track, detect
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15
nounslanguncountable
The small balls of colored liquid used in the game of paintball.
Like bullets, but they're little balls that splash color when they hit.
I'm running low on paint and need to refill before the next round.
Bring extra paint so we don't run out in the middle of the game.
Similarpaintballs
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16
nouncountable or uncountablebefore a noun
Pictures made by drawing with a mouse or pen, not scanned or made by the computer.
Like drawing by hand instead of taking a photo or using a stamp.
She added some paint to the design using her drawing tablet.
The logo is paint, not a photo or a computer pattern.
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17
nounslanguncountable
Ink art tattooed onto someone's skin.
Like coloring drawn right onto the skin.
He's got a lot of paint on his arms.
She showed off the new paint covering her shoulder.
Similarink
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18
verbtransitive
To put medicine onto a part of the body using a brush.
Like brushing on glue, but it's medicine going onto your skin.
The nurse painted the child's throat with medicine.
Doctors paint the wound with antiseptic before bandaging it.
Similarswab, dab, brush
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19
nounslangcountable or uncountable
A face card in a deck: a king, queen, or jack.
Like the special cards with people on them, not the plain number cards.
His hand was full of paint, with two kings and a queen.
I need some paint to make this a strong hand.
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20
noundatedcountable or uncountable
Any material made hard by setting it with latex.
Like mixing in glue to make something soft turn hard.
The old recipe coated the fabric in paint to stiffen it.
Workers spread paint over the surface so it would set hard.
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21
verbslangtransitive
To leave feces on a partner during anal sex.
He worried he might paint his partner during sex.
She accidentally painted her boyfriend that night.
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Practice

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Origin

From Latin pingō meaning "to paint," which came into English through Old French.