paint (one) black

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

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

paint black

Represent someone or something as evil or harmful. This idiom is most often used in a negative context, as in He's not so black as he's been painted. [Late 1500s]

See also: black, paint

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.