Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Paint (cf. the subst. Painting) 1) to produce or to represent by delineation and colours: Ven. 212. Ven. 212 Lucr. 1466. Lucr. 1466 Lucr. 1466 Lucr. 1466 Sonn. 47, 6. 53, 8. Tp. II, 2, 30. Wiv. IV, 5, 8. Meas. IV, 2, 38. Ado I, 1, 267. Mids. I, 1, 235. Shr. Ind. 2, 52. Shr. Ind. 2, 52. R2 V, 2, 16. H5 III, 6, 32. H5 III, 6, 32 Tit. IV, 2, 98. Tim. I, 1, 156. Tim. I, 1, 156 Mcb. II, 2, 55. V, 8, 26 (--ed upon a pole, i. e. on cloth suspended on a pole). Hml. II, 2, 502. Ant. II, 5, 116. Cymb. III, 4, 6. --ed cloth, i. e. cloth or canvas painted in oil and used for hangings in rooms (cf. Cloth): “who fears a sentence or an old man's saw shall by a --ed cloth be kept in awe,” Lucr. 245. “you will be scraped out of the --ed cloth,” LLL V, 2, 579. “I answer you right --ed cloth, from whence you have studied your questions,” As III, 2, 290. “as ragged as Lazarus in the --ed cloth,” H4A IV, 2, 28. “set this in your --ed cloths,” Troil. IV, 10, 46.
2) to colour, to dye: “with Nature's own hand --ed,” Sonn. 20, 1. “--ed Maypole,” Mids. III, 2, 296. “and p. your face,” Shr. I, 1, 65 (i. e. make it bloody). “where revenge did paint the fearful difference of incensed kings,” John III, 1, 237. “to gild refined gold, to p. the lily,” IV, 2, 11. “--ed with the crimson spots of blood,” IV, 2, 11 H5 III, 5, 49. H6A II, 4, 50. H6C I, 4, 12. Cor. II, 2, 115. Rom. I, 4, 5. Tim. IV, 3, 59. Especially used of colours laid on the face for embellishment; absol.: “why should false --ing imitate his cheek,” Sonn. 67, 5. “in spite of --ing,” Pilgr. 180. “your whores using --ing,” Meas. IV, 2, 40. “--ing and usurping hair,” LLL IV, 3, 259. LLL IV, 3, 259 “does Bridget p. still?” Meas. III, 2, 83. “p. till a horse may mire upon your face,” Tim. IV, 3, 147. “let her p. an inch thick,” Hml. V, 1, 213. “you shall p.” Ant. I, 2, 18. trans.: “the one is --ed,” Gent. II, 1, 61. Gent. II, 1, 61 “were I --ed,” Wint. IV, 4, 101. refl.: “to p. himself,” Ado III, 2, 58. “red --s itself black,” LLL IV, 3, 265.
3) to diversify with colours: “cuckoo-buds of yellow hue do p. the meadows with delight,” LLL V, 2, 907. “pluck the wings from --ed butterflies,” Mids. III, 1, 175. “the adder's --ed skin contents the eye,” Shr. IV, 3, 180. “from Cupid's shoulder pluck his --ed wings,” Troil. III, 2, 15. “the skies are --ed with unnumbered sparks,” Caes. III, 1, 63.
4) to colour, to adorn, to deck with artificial colours: “my sable ground of sin I will not p.” Lucr. 1074. “--ing my age with beauty of thy days,” Sonn. 62, 14. “their gross --ing,” Sonn. 82, 13. “I never saw that you did --ing need and therefore to your fair no --ing set,” 83, 1. “--ing thy outward walls so costly gay,” 146, 4. “with colours fairer --ed their foul ends,” Tp. I, 2, 143. “the --ed flourish of your praise,” LLL II, 14. “never p. me now: where fair is not, praise cannot mend the brow,” IV, 1, 16. “fie, --ed rhetoric,” IV, 3, 239. gilded loam or --ed clay, R2I, 1, 179. “Helen must needs be fair, when with your blood you daily p. her thus,” Troil. I, 1, 94.
Hence --ed == artificial, counterfeit, unreal: “that Muse stirred by a --ed beauty to his verse,” Sonn. 21, 2. “--ed pomp,” As II, 1, 3. “--ed peace,” John III, 1, 105. “poor --ed queen,” R3 I, 3, 241. IV, 4, 83. “your --ed gloss,” H8 V, 3, 71. “and with that --ed hope braves your mightiness,” Tit. II, 3, 126 (the later Ff she braves). “to have his pomp and all what state compounds but only --ed,” Tim. IV, 2, 36. “my most --ed word,” Hml. III, 1, 53.
5) to describe, to represent: “the word is too good to p. out her wickedness,” Ado III, 2, 112. “I p. him in the character,” Cor. V, 4, 28.