painted

Related to painted: painted bunting

(as) black as (one) is painted

As evil, malicious, or malignant as one is described or believed to be. I wasn't sure why everyone is afraid of the old hermit who lives on the edge of town, but after having a few conversations with him, I found that he is as black as he's painted! The biker gang plays up its tough demeanor and hellish reputation, but they're really just a bunch of regular guys and not as black as they're painted.
See also: black, painted

be (not) as black as (someone or something) is painted

To be as bad or unpleasant as someone or something is rumored to be. This phrase is often used in the negative to convey the opposite. That class is as black as it is painted—I've never had so much homework in my life! Mr. Stewart may yell a lot, but he's not as black as he is painted—he's actually helped me carry my groceries many times.
See also: black, painted

not as black as (one) is painted

Not as evil, malicious, or malignant as one is described or believed to be. Everyone is afraid of the old hermit who lives on the edge of town, but after having a few conversations with him, he's not nearly as black as he's painted. The biker gang plays up its tough demeanor and hellish reputation, but they're really just a bunch of regular guys and not as black as they're painted.
See also: black, not, painted

paint (one) black

To make someone appear evil, malicious, or ill intentioned. He argued that the film was edited to paint him black, taking his statements out of context and mixing them with ominous music. Though he's been painted quite black by the media, in person he's actually a very pleasant guy.
See also: black, paint

paint (something) onto (something)

To use paint to create a particular, picture, pattern, or design on something or some surface. Can you paint a big dinosaur onto Timmy's wall? He loves dinosaurs. I'm going to paint a cool fire design onto the side of my car.
See also: paint

paint (something) with a broad brush

To describe or characterize something in very general, vague, or broad terms, ignoring or neglecting to include specific details. When asked about how she would stabilize the economy, the candidate painted her plan with a broad brush, resorting to vague claims about creating jobs and getting people back to work.
See also: broad, brush, paint

paint in

To color or fill in some blank space with paint. A noun or pronoun can be used between "paint" and "in." I brought in a bunch of black-and-white pictures of cartoon characters for the kids to paint in. There's a big streak where the table scraped against the wall. I'll need to paint it in this weekend.
See also: paint

paint on

1. To apply paint onto some surface. I brought in a bunch of pieces of cardboard and scrap paper for the kids to paint on. It's really hard to paint on textured, bumpy walls like this one.
2. To use paint to create a particular, picture, pattern, or design on something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "paint" and "on." Can you paint a big dinosaur on Timmy's wall? He loves dinosaurs. I'm going to paint a cool fire design on the side of my car.
See also: on, paint

paint out

To cover something up with paint so as to hide or obscure it. A noun or pronoun can be used between "paint" and "out." Staff were quick to paint out the obscene graffiti on the side of the gymnasium. Someone came by and painted certain words out that were featured on the mural on Main Street.
See also: out, paint

paint over

To cover something up with paint so as to hide or obscure it. A noun or pronoun can be used between "paint" and "out." Staff were quick to paint over the obscene graffiti on the side of the gymnasium. Someone came by and painted certain words over that were featured on the mural on Main Street.
See also: over, paint

paint the black

In baseball, to pitch the ball in such a way that it travels over the edge of the home plate and results in a strike. Their pitcher was amazing, painting the black from the beginning of the game right through to the very end.
See also: black, paint

paint the devil on the wall

To have or offer a negative view of a situation, often when it is excessive or unwarranted. Don't listen to Ed, he's just painting the devil on the wall. Things really aren't as bad as he says.
See also: devil, on, paint, wall

paint the lily

To add embellishment to something that is already beautiful or outstanding. The phrase comes from Shakespeare's King John: "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily ... is wasteful and ridiculous excess." My wife is so gorgeous that putting her in a fancy gown would just be painting the lily. Why add a filter to your photo of the rainbow? No need to paint the lily.
See also: lily, paint

paint the town (red)

To go out into a city or town and have an enjoyable time, typically by visiting various establishments, such as bars, restaurants, clubs, etc. After our exams finished, we all decided to get dressed up and paint the town red. A: "I was thinking I might go to a museum or the library." B: "Wow, you're really going to paint the town red, huh?"
See also: paint, town

painted cat

A prostitute. This phrase likely combines another term for a prostitute, "painted woman," with "cathouse"—a term for brothel. A: "You know, I heard that Mary is a painted cat. It would explain where all her money comes from." B: "Mary is not a prostitute!"
See also: cat, painted

painted with the same brush

Unfairly judged or categorized as being the same as another person or thing, usually in a negative manner. Just because the CEO turned out to be a rotten scoundrel doesn't mean the entire company should be painted the with the same brush. There is absolutely a segment of video game enthusiasts who create a hostile and toxic environment online, but I hate the fact that all gamers are painted with the same brush.
See also: brush, painted, same

the devil is not so black as he is painted

One is not as evil, malicious, or malignant as one is described or believed to be. The biker gang plays up its tough demeanor and hellish reputation, but they're really just a bunch of regular guys. The devil is not as black as he is painted.
See also: black, devil, he, not, painted
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

*black as one is painted

as evil as described. (Usually negative. *Also: as ~.) The landlord is not as black as he is painted. He seems quite generous to me. Young people are rarely black as they are painted in the media.
See also: black, one, painted

devil is not so black as he is painted

Prov. No one is as bad as people say he is. (Implies that people are saying too many bad things about someone.) I can't believe that actress is as coldhearted as the gossip columns say she is. The devil is not so black as he is painted.
See also: black, devil, he, not, painted

paint on something

to apply paint to the surface of something. He painted on the fence a while and then went inside to rest. Please don't paint on the area that is not sanded down.
See also: on, paint

paint over something

to cover something up with a layer of paint. Sam painted over the rusty part of the fence. The work crew was told to paint over the graffiti.
See also: over, paint

paint something in

to paint something extra onto a painted area. I know that there is supposed to be a big white spot here. We will have to paint it in. We will have to paint in the spot.
See also: paint

paint something out

to cover something up or obliterate something by applying a layer of paint. The worker painted the graffiti out. They had to paint out the graffiti.
See also: out, paint
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

not as black as you are painted

INFORMAL
If someone is not as black as they are painted, they are not as bad as people generally consider them to be. I'm really not as black as I'm painted,' he said pointedly.
See also: black, not, painted
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

not as black as you are painted

not as bad as you are said to be. informal
The proverb the devil is not as black as he is painted , first recorded in English in the mid 16th century, was used as a warning not to base your fears of something on exaggerated reports.
See also: black, not, painted
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

he, it, etc. is not as black as he, it, etc. is ˈpainted

he, it, etc. is not as bad as people say: The boss is not as black as she’s painted; in fact, I find her quite helpful and friendly.
See also: black, not, painted
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

paint the black

Baseball To throw a pitched ball over the edge of home plate for a strike.
See also: black, paint
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • (as) black as (one) is painted
  • black as one is painted
  • not as black as (one) is painted
  • not as black as you are painted
  • devil is not so black as he is painted
  • the devil is not so black as he is painted
  • evil twin
  • spooked
  • paint (one) black
  • paint black
References in periodicals archive
In favor of the thesis that it is a "state portrait" are the facts that Raphael had painted a series of Medici portraits (of Giuliano and Lorenzo de' Medici) (75) and that the portrait of Leo X with the cardinals was later kept in the Palazzo Medici in Florence, and that palace "was the central part of the patrimony of Cosimo Pater Patriae [father of the fatherland] and of Lorenzo ii Magnifico [the Magnificent], now concentrated in the person of the Pope" who gave libera administrazione (free administration) of it to his sister-in-law, Alfonsina Orsini de' Medici.
Raphael's Portrait Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi de' Rossi: a religious interpretation *
Electric Steel didn't have much experience at painting castings, other than an instance in which the foundry had painted a few castings for another customer, who similarly had insisted that its 40-lb castings be painted before delivery.
Painting services - protection for castings and a competitive edge
This room has not been restored in the current scheme; on the contrary it has been painted a neutral grey, as opposed to its original Pompeian Red, and has been fitted out with modern minimalist glass cabinets, designed by Eva Jiricna, that display a small proportion of the museum's architectural drawings (AR June 95).
The Breakfast Room
And the cars are being painted with just two colors: Either Misano Red or Avus Silver.
Automotive finishing
When there are indications of lead hazard or poisoning, the DOH will send an inspector to the child's home to perform testing of painted surfaces to establish if lead concentrations fall above or below the acceptable threshold.
Know the facts about lead abatement
During his last two years, Majerus spent long periods in LA, but work in his Berlin studio continued uninterrupted with the help of an assistant who painted images delivered via e-mail attachments.
Search engine: the art of Michel Majerus
Use this painted leaf ms an imprint and transfer its image to paper.
Painting with leaves: an elegant brush with nature
If you had a surface painted with the pressure sensitive paint and placed it in a nitrogen atmosphere, it would glow brightly (assuming, of course, that you were observing this with the appropriate optical setup).
Aero Meets Auto. (Design)
If fans cannot be used, make sure that rooms being painted have adequate cross-ventilation.
Healthy Indoor Painting Practices
Reprocessing plasma-coated or painted parts can be made both economically and ecologically acceptable with a new all-mechanical process that separates the paint from the plastic substrate.
Recyclers Have Answers for Hard-to-Recycle Materials
"Los Borrachos" was painted some six years after Velazquez's appointment as court artist and official portraitist to Philip IV.
Velazquez, Los Borrachos, and Painting at the Court of Philip IV
Weathering tests involving boards painted and left outside to weather have shown that acrylic resins (that is, paint labeled "100 percent acrylic") generally perform best.
Making latex paint better
In older apartments the underlayers were painted with lead paint while later coats were painted with non-leaded paint.
Industry ready for lead lawsuits?
Etzel sought to quantify the mercury exposures of Detroit-area families whose homes were painted with the same brand of interior paint.
Painting a perilous picture of mercury
Holbein painted his forensic report on the corpse of Christ in the very first years of Martin Luther's Reformation.
Mortal immortal: Christopher S. Wood on Hans Holbein the Younger