gild

¹ American  

[gild] / gɪld /

verb (used with object)

gilded, 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.

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idioms

1. 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 ² American  

[gild] / gɪld /

noun

1. guild.

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gild ¹ British  

/ ɡɪld /

verb

1. to cover with or as if with gold

2. 1. to adorn unnecessarily something already beautiful

   2. to praise someone inordinately

3. to give a falsely attractive or valuable appearance to

4. archaic to smear with blood

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gild ² British  

/ ɡɪld /

noun

1. a variant spelling of guild

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Other Word Forms

• gildable adjective
• gilder noun
• gildsman noun

Etymology

Origin of gild

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

Example Sentences

Thomas Frank is trapped in a gilded cage at Tottenham Hotspur, his attempts to escape hindered by yet another joyless experience and more Premier League points dropped.

From BBC

In its place, and that of the East Wing, will be an enormous gilded ballroom — so big that it promises to dwarf the White House itself.

From Salon

"Also we think it was possibly gilded, which would be a coating of gold over the top."

From BBC

Its nine brilliantly colored and richly gilded panels, each measuring about 39 by 36 inches, illustrate essential chapters of Christian faith.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Constitutional Convention was symbolically presided over by the retired Gen. George Washington, who sat throughout in a chair with a gilded half sun at its top.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• adorn
• bedeck