Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Among some savage tribes, paint applied to the face and other parts of the person, according to a recognized and traditional system, as a sign that the wearer is about to engage in war. Its origin may have been an attempt to strike terror to the mind of the enemy.
- noun Hence, full dress and adornment; official costume.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Alternative spelling of
war paint .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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In Ecuador, the Shuar and other indigenous groups have donned war-paint and blocked highways over water rights and oil and mining plans.
Peru's tribal groups chide president for vetoing rainforest law Latin America correspondent 2010
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Kitteh haz shrunken fish-hed neklace, a sharkskin war clowk adn fish blud war-paint.
…and den a bear came - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2010
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Every sort of face make-up signifies something, whether intended or not, and that kind of eye marking would generally match up to either a status insignia (eye markings would probably mean a lower caste or outside precisely because of the "alienising" effect) or war-paint (again because it makes the face look inhuman).
Two Faiths Greg Tannahill 2008
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The fact that ID can't be taught in public schools (a precedent which will stand until and unless ID is accepted by science proper) doesn't smudge your war-paint one bit.
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Let the war drums begin their measure, let the war-paint meet with cheeks soaked by tears; we will not rest and we will not sleep until every war criminal is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and every ignorant religious-addict is pounded into silence by a legitimate review of all matters of faith that have a basis in matters of fact.
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Indeed, he is almost the only man who has seen the Indians in their war-paint, and I own I think he was right in firing upon Mons.
The Virginians 2006
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“I shall go in my war-paint—I shall carry my tomahawk along.”
Mark Twain Ron Powers 2005
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And these painted savages, smeared with war-paint, howling and posturing and triumphing over the ghastly doom of a foe, seemed not humans at all to me, but foul fiends of the black world whom it was a duty and an obligation to slay.
The Conquering Sword Of Conan Howard, Robert E. 2005
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And these painted savages, smeared with war-paint, howling and posturing and triumphing over the ghastly doom of a foe, seemed not humans at all to me, but foul fiends of the black world whom it was a duty and an obligation to slay.
The Conquering Sword of Conan Howard, Robert E. 2005
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“I shall go in my war-paint—I shall carry my tomahawk along.”
Mark Twain Ron Powers 2005
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