Gilded
[gil-did] /ˈgɪl dɪd/
adjective
1.
covered or highlighted with gold or something of a golden color.
2.
having a pleasing or showy appearance that conceals something of little worth.
[gild] /gɪld/
verb (used with object), gilded or gilt, gilding.
1.
to coat with gold, gold leaf, or a gold-colored substance.
2.
to give a bright, pleasing, or specious aspect to.
3.
Archaic. to make red, as with blood.
Idioms
4.
gild the lily, to add unnecessary ornamentation, a special feature, etc., in an attempt to improve something that is already complete, satisfactory, or ideal:
After that wonderful meal, serving a fancy dessert would be gilding the lily.
/ɡɪld/
verb (transitive) gilds, gilding, gilded, gilt (ɡɪlt)
1.
to cover with or as if with gold
2.
gild the lily
3.
to give a falsely attractive or valuable appearance to
4.
(archaic) to smear with blood
/ɡɪld/
noun
1.
a variant spelling of guild (sense 2)
adj.
1560s (late Old English had gegylde); in modern use the more dignified past participle of gild (q.v.). Shakespeare’s lilies were never gilded; the quote (“King John,” iv.2) is, “To gild refined gold, to paint the lily.”
v.
Old English gyldan “to gild, to cover with a thin layer of gold,” from Proto-Germanic *gulthianan (cf. Old Norse gylla “to gild,” Old High German ubergulden “to cover with gold”), from *gulthan “gold” (see gold). Related: Gilded; gilding. Figuratively from 1590s.
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