Meaning & use
can of paint
Last updated
UK/ˌkæn əv ˈpeɪnt/
US/ˌkæn əv ˈpeɪnt/
Meaning
nouncountable
a metal container filled with colored liquid that you put on walls or furniture
Grammar: Countable: you can say a can of paint or three cans of paint.
Patterns
- a can of paint
- open a can of paint
- a can of paint for something
We bought a can of paint to freshen up the kitchen.
He dropped the can of paint and it spilled all over the floor.
The label on the can of paint says to wait four hours before adding a second coat.
Word forms
| plural | cans of paint |
|---|
Common combinations
- a fresh can of paint
- The old door looked new again after a fresh can of paint.
- open a can of paint
- You need a screwdriver to open a can of paint.
- a can of paint for the walls
- She picked up a can of paint for the walls in a soft gray.
- spill a can of paint
- Don't spill a can of paint on the carpet.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tin of paint
- Common in British English; can of paint is the usual American phrase.
- paint can
- Focuses on the container itself rather than the amount of paint inside.
Commonly confused: can of paint or can of beans?
can of paint vs can of beans
Same structure but a different product; don't mix up the nouns.
Practice
We need to buy ____ to repaint the fence.
Choose one answer.
The correct phrase is a can of paint: a container of paint. The other options break the word order or use the wrong singular/plural form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “can of paint”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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