All these words mean to impart colour to something. To colour is the most general of these words, and stipulates neither the extent of the process nor the material used nor the object coloured .

To dye means to permanently change the colour of something, as fabric or hair, by impregnating it with a colouring agent: to dye a white dress red by soaking it for several hours in a dyeing solution.

To stain means either to colour an object chemically, as to stain wood, or to impart to an object a colour foreign to it through use, negligence or the like, as to stain one’s clothing with spilt soup.

To paint is to apply colour to an object or a surface for the purpose of decorating it, as to paint a chair or a wall. The substance used in painting is usually a durable one that preserves as well as decorates.

To tint and to tinge means to colour something slightly. To tint is to impart a light or pastel colour for decorative purpose; to tinge is to modify the basic colour of something slightly or superficially, as to tinge ivory yellow by frequent handling.