English

Noun

oil painting ‎(plural oil paintings)

1. A painting done with oil paints.
2. (uncountable) The art of painting with oil paints.
3. (humorous, litotes, with negative) A physically attractive person
   • 1920 Henry St. John Cooper Sunny Ducrow, Putnam's, p.117:

     "Very lovely!" he said, staring her straight in the face.

     "You needn't try and be funny!" she said. "If you mean me, I'm no oil-painting, and I know it!"

   • 2007 "Virginia Trioli talks to George Brandis and Wayne Swan" Lateline ABC (Australia) 14 September 2007:

     Wayne Swan: All I can say is that she's a much more attractive person than the Prime Minister.

     George Brandis: You're not exactly an oil painting yourself, Wayne.

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