phrase[ plural ] tubes of paint or blocks of dried paint used for making pictures: 绘画颜料 oil paints油画颜料 She usually uses acrylic paints. Later she switched from oils to acrylic paints. She taught herself to paint after her partner bought her a set of watercolour paints for Christmas one year. These paints are made by hand in a small shop in New York. She keeps her paints in the cupboard. Charlotte gave me a beautiful set of paints. There are paints, brushes, and a mixing palette in the kit. See also