paintlessadj.
/ˈpeɪntlᵻs/, U.S. /ˈpeɪn(t)lᵻs/ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > inexpressibility > [adjective]
unsayinglyOE
wordlessa1200
unanemneda1225
unspeaking1340
untellablea1382
unenarrable1382
unspeakablea1400
ineffablec1450
inenarrablec1450
indicible1480
enarrable1482
inexplicable1502
inspeakable?1504
innominable1532
unoutspeakable1535
unexpressable1548
innarrable1554
inpronunciable1554
uncommunicable1555
inexprimablea1577
unexpressiblea1586
unutterablea1586
expressless1590
nameless1597
recountless1601
inutterable1603
indeclarable1610
unnameable1610
unreportable1611
speakless1612
unexpressivea1616
inexpressiblea1631
utterless1643
inexpressive1652
unwordablec1660
incommunicable1694
paintless1729
descriptionless1749
undelineable1767
describeless1799
indefinable1810
undescribable1818
unqualifiable1822
untelling1823
utterless1832
unpindownable1915
1729 R. Savage Wanderer ii. 246 By woe, the soul to daring actions swells; By woe, in paintless patience it excels.
2. Devoid of paint; unpainted.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > colour > colouring > painting > [adjective] > not painted
unpainted?1470
paintless1850
1850 Harper's Mag. Dec. 88/2 A slovenly farmyard that lay..to the right of the house, fenced off by a primitive, paintless wooden rail.
1868 C. W. Dilke Greater Brit. I. i. xi. 122 We met them with peaceful paintless cheeks.
1920 E. Wharton Age of Innocence xvi. 142 They hurried back to the tumble-down house with its paintless porch.
1993 J. Meades Pompey (1994) 424 Furze, gorse, a rusting trough,..a paintless metal shed all wrapped about with thorns.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1729