WordGarden.iopaint
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /pˈeɪnt/
US
- /ˈpeɪnt/
Meanings
Noun
colored liquid or paste used to coat, protect, or decorate a surface
Verb
to cover, decorate, or protect a surface with paint
to make a picture or design using paint
to describe or present someone or something in a particular way
Beyond the definition
Paint is not just something artists use on a canvas. It is also the colored liquid people put on walls, doors, furniture, and many other surfaces to add color or protect them. As a verb, it means to put that color on something, so you can paint a room, paint a fence, or paint a picture. It also has a figurative use: someone can paint a vivid story with words or paint a clear picture of what happened, meaning they describe it in a way that is easy to imagine.
Paint is a remarkably versatile word with layers of meaning. At its core, it refers to a colored substance used to decorate, protect, or add texture to surfaces—from nursery walls and canvases to furniture and massive ships. As a noun, it's the physical material: "He carefully selected a waterproof paint for the exterior of the house."
As a verb, "paint" functions in both literal and figurative ways. Literally, it means to apply pigment to a surface to create an image or provide coverage: "She spent hours painting a portrait of her dog." Figuratively, "to paint" is to describe something so vividly that it creates a mental image for the listener. For instance, "The author painted a grim picture of a world without nature."
Interestingly, the word often appears in idioms regarding appearance and behavior. Someone might "paint on a smile" to hide their true feelings, or "paint a rosy picture" to make a situation seem better than it actually is. You might even hear about someone "painting themselves into a corner," a phrase describing a person who has created a difficult situation for themselves with no easy escape. From ancient cave drawings to modern digital art, "paint" remains a fundamental word for creation, expression, and even portrayal.
Examples
- 1
Home improvement
We need to paint the kitchen before we move in.
- 2
Door color
She painted the front door bright yellow.
- 3
School art
The children painted pictures of their families at school.
- 4
Wet surface
Careful, the paint on that bench is still wet.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Fresh layer
The bedroom needs a fresh coat of paint.
- Phrasecoat of paint
one layer of paint on a surface
- 6
Messy hands
He got blue paint all over his hands.
- 7
Art materials
She usually paints in watercolors.
- Patternpaint in + medium
use that kind of paint
- 8
Covering text
They painted over the old sign and wrote the new name.
- Patternpaint over + thing
cover it with paint
- 9
Clear description
The article paints a clear picture of life in the city.
- Phrasepaint a picture of something
describe it clearly
- 10
Character portrayal
The movie paints him as a hero, but the truth is more complicated.
- Patternpaint someone/something as + description
describe them that way
- 11
Difficult position
If we promise too much now, we’ll paint ourselves into a corner.
- Phrasepaint yourself into a corner
create a difficult situation with few choices
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- paintnounverb
Forms
- painting-ing formverbnoun
- paintedpast tenseverbnoun
- paintspluralnounverb