paint the town red

Definitions

To party or celebrate in a rowdy, wild manner, especially in a public place.

idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“It was the end⟳ of term and students decided to celebrate⟳ by painting the town red.”

“With regard to Mrs. Brown-Potter, as acting is no longer considered absolutely essential for success on the English stage⟳, there is really no reason⟳ why the pretty bright-eyed lady who charmed us all last⟳ June by her merry laugh⟳ and her nonchalant ways, should not—to borrow an expression from her native language—make⟳ a big boom and paint⟳ the town red.”

“After that dinner at MacFen's he was done for—went wild. Danced a sword-dance, or a strathspey, or some other blamed thing, on the table, and yelled louder than the pipes. So they all did. Jack, I've painted the town red once myself.”

“Half a dozen cowboys cantered up the main street of Los Portales in a cloud of dust. One of them, older than the rest⟳, let⟳ out the wild yell⟳. […] A second flung into the blue sky three rapid revolver shots. Plainly they were advertising the fact that they had come⟳ to paint⟳ the town red and did not care who knew it.”

“Bitch, I said what I said / I'd rather be famous instead / I let⟳ all that get⟳ to my head / I don't care, I paint⟳ the town red”

CEFR level