The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Paint \Paint\ (p[=a]nt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Painted; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Painting.] [OE. peinten, fr. F. peint, p. p. of
   peindre to paint, fr. L. pingere, pictum; cf. Gr. poiki`los
   many-colored, Skr. pi[,c] to adorn. Cf. Depict, Picture,
   Pigment, Pint.]
   1. To cover with coloring matter; to apply paint to; as, to
      paint a house, a signboard, etc.
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            Jezebel painted her face and tired her head. --2
                                                  Kings ix. 30.
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   2. Fig.: To color, stain, or tinge; to adorn or beautify with
      colors; to diversify with colors.
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            Not painted with the crimson spots of blood. --Shak.
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            Cuckoo buds of yellow hue
            Do paint the meadows with delight.    --Shak.
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   3. To form in colors a figure or likeness of on a flat
      surface, as upon canvas; to represent by means of colors
      or hues; to exhibit in a tinted image; to portray with
      paints; as, to paint a portrait or a landscape.
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   4. Fig.: To represent or exhibit to the mind; to describe
      vividly; to delineate; to image; to depict; as, to paint a
      political opponent as a traitor.
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            Disloyal?
            The word is too good to paint out her wickedness.
                                                  --Shak.
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            If folly grow romantic, I must paint it. --Pope.
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   Syn: To color; picture; depict; portray; delineate; sketch;
        draw; describe.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Painting \Paint"ing\, n.
   1. The act or employment of laying on, or adorning with,
      paints or colors.
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   2. (Fine Arts) The work of the painter; also, any work of art
      in which objects are represented in color on a flat
      surface; a colored representation of any object or scene;
      a picture.
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   3. Color laid on; paint. [R.] --Shak.
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   4. A depicting by words; vivid representation in words.
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   Syn: See Picture.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

painting
    n 1: graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by
         applying paints to a surface; "a small painting by
         Picasso"; "he bought the painting as an investment"; "his
         pictures hang in the Louvre" [syn: painting, picture]
    2: creating a picture with paints; "he studied painting and
       sculpture for many years"
    3: the act of applying paint to a surface; "you can finish the
       job of painting faster with a roller than with a brush"
    4: the occupation of a house painter; "house painting was the
       only craft he knew" [syn: painting, house painting]

The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

PAINTING, n.  The art of protecting flat surfaces from the weather and
exposing them to the critic.
    Formerly, painting and sculpture were combined in the same work:
the ancients painted their statues.  The only present alliance between
the two arts is that the modern painter chisels his patrons.