gilt

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.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English gilden, Old English -gyldan; akin to gold

Related forms

gild·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins

World English Dictionary

gild¹ (ɡɪld)

—vb , gilds, gilding, gilded, gilt
1.	to cover with or as if with gold
2.	gild the lily
	a. to adorn unnecessarily something already beautiful
	b. to praise someone inordinately
3.	to give a falsely attractive or valuable appearance to
4.	archaic to smear with blood

[Old English gyldan, from goldgold; related to Old Norse gylla, Middle High German vergülden]

'gilder¹

—n

gild² (ɡɪld)

—n
	a variant spelling of guild

'gildsman²

—n

gilt¹ (ɡɪlt)

—vb
1.	a past tense and past participle of gild

—n
2.	gold or a substance simulating it, applied in gilding
3.	gilding another word for gilding
4.	superficial or false appearance of excellence; glamour
5.	a gilt-edged security
6.	take the gilt off the gingerbread to destroy the part of something that gives it its appeal

—*adj*
7.	covered with or as if with gold or gilt; gilded

gilt² (ɡɪlt)

—n
	a young female pig, esp one that has not had a litter

[C15: from Old Norse gyltr; related to Old English gelte, Old High German gelza, Middle Low German gelte]

guild or gild (ɡɪld)

—n
1.	an organization, club, or fellowship
2.	(esp in medieval Europe) an association of men sharing the same interests, such as merchants or artisans: formed for mutual aid and protection and to maintain craft standards or pursue some other purpose such as communal worship
3.	ecology a group of plants, such as a group of epiphytes, that share certain habits or characteristics

[C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse gjald payment, gildi guild; related to Old English gield offering, Old High German gelt money]

gild or gild

—n

[C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse gjald payment, gildi guild; related to Old English gield offering, Old High German gelt money]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

gild

O.E. gyldan, from P.Gmc. *gulthianan (cf. O.N. gylla "to guild"), from *gulthan "gold."

gilt

c.1300, pp. of M.E. gilden, from O.E. gyldan (see gild).

Example sentences

Two of the three were made of copper and the third was a gilt-covered copper

coin with much of the gilt rubbed off.

He had a small legacy in the will, a gilt-edged bond and a few words of praise.

In the main dining room, the walls have been taken down to bare red brick and

framed in gilt mirrors.

Gilt yields were in deflation-worry territory even before the government

announced consolidation plans.

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Matching Quote

"Edith: This complete loveliness will fade. And we shall forget what it was like.
Edward: Edith, don't.
Edith: Oh, it's bound to. Just a few years and the gilt wears off the gingerbread.
Edward: Darling, answer me one thing truthfully. Have you ever seen gingerbread with gilt on it?
Edith: [laughing] Fool!
Edward: Then the whole argument is disposed of."

-Reginald Berkeley