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painter

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painter noun (pronunciation of panther) The common term in the mountains for the mountain lion.

1834 Crockett Narrative 19 This alarmed me, and I screamed out like a young painter. 1883 Zeigler and Grosscup Heart of Alleghanies 303 We returned to the cabin, and my conclusions were confirmed by their immediate affirmations that, “nairy varmint but a painter hed made them tracks, an’ they ’lowed the cabin mought not be hanted arter all.” 1913 Kephart Our Sthn High 99 Wolves and panthers used to be common here, but it is a long time since either has been killed in this region, albeit impressionable people see wolf tracks or hear a “pant'er” scream every now and then.  1959 Hall Coll (Hartford TN) All of the mountain people called the panther a “painter.” 1971 Linzey and Linzey Mammals of Smoky 68 The present status of the “panther” or “painter,” as this large, long-tailed cat is sometimes called in the Southern Appalachian region, is uncertain.

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