[gild] 
| 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. |
| 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. |
[gild] | 1. | an organization of persons with related interests, goals, etc., esp. one formed for mutual aid or protection. |
| 2. | any of various medieval associations, as of merchants or artisans, organized to maintain standards and to protect the interests of its members, and that sometimes constituted a local governing body. |
| 3. | Botany. a group of plants, as parasites, having a similar habit of growth and nutrition. |
| gild 1 (gĭld) tr.v. gild·ed or gilt (gĭlt), gild·ing, gilds
[Middle English gilden, from Old English gyldan; see ghel-2 in Indo-European roots.] gild'er n. |
| gild 2 (gĭld) n. Variant of guild. |
| guild also gild (gĭld) n.
[Middle English gild, from Old Norse gildi, payment, guild.] |