gild

¹

[ gild ]

verb (used with object)

, gild·ed or gilt, gild·ing.

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.

gild

²

[ gild ]

noun

1. guild.

gild

¹

/ ɡɪld /

noun

1. a variant spelling of guild

gild

²

/ ɡɪld /

verb

1. to cover with or as if with gold
2. gild the lily
   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

Derived Forms

• ˈgildsman, noun
• ˈgilder, noun

Other Words From

• gilda·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gild¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of gild¹

Old English gyldan, from gold gold ; related to Old Norse gylla, Middle High German vergülden

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

As long as the press remains shackled by the gilded chains of billionaire overlords, freedom lies in chains as well, leaving us in a world of corporate domination.

From Salon

Furthermore, though Mr. Reed presents himself as an intellectually superior theologian, gilding his carefully-choreographed arguments with props and theatrical flourishes, the script itself doesn’t hold him in the same regard.

From Los Angeles Times

The presidency, he said, is “a little bit like being in a gilded jail cell.”

From Los Angeles Times

With “Maria,” he’s got the gilded cage, but little of the bird’s desperation.

From Los Angeles Times

A lot of people believe that this current antidemocratic moment began when Donald Trump descended the gilded escalator at Trump Tower.

From Salon

Related Words

• adorn
• bedeck