Gild Meaning in English
word
Definition
To cover something with a thin layer of gold, or to make something look more attractive or valuable than it really is.
Usage & Nuances
Formal or literary; literal use is rare today, but figurative use is common in phrases like 'to gild the lily' (to unnecessarily add decoration to something already beautiful). Often refers to improving appearances, sometimes in a deceptive way.
Spanish: dorar - cubrir de oro (sentido literal) - embellecer (sentido figurado)Portuguese (BR): dourar - revestir de ouro (literal) - embelezar (sentido figurado)Portuguese (PT): dourar - revestir a ouro (literal) - embelezar (figurado)Chinese (Simplified): 镀金 - 装饰（金属） - 美化（比喻）Chinese (Traditional): 鍍金 - 裝飾（金屬） - 美化（比喻）Hindi: सोने का पानी चढ़ाना - सुंदर बनाना (रूपात्मक)Arabic: يطلي بالذهب - يجمّل (مجازي)Bengali: স্বর্ণকলঙ্কিত করা - সোনা দিয়ে ঢাকা (ফিগারেটিভ/ডেকোরেটিভ অর্থে)Russian: позолотить - приукраситьJapanese: 金メッキする - 美化するVietnamese: mạ vàng - làm đẹp thêm (thường là quá mức hoặc giả tạo)Korean: 도금하다 - 겉만 번지르르하게 만들다Turkish: yaldızlamak - süslemek (abartılı veya gereksiz şekilde)Urdu: سونے کا ملمع کرنا - خوبصورت بنا کر پیش کرناIndonesian: melapisi emas - memperindah secara berlebihan
Example Sentences
Artists used to gild picture frames by hand.
basic
The craftsmen gilded the statue for the temple.
basic
Many companies try to gild their online reviews to attract more customers.
natural
You shouldn't gild the truth to make it sound better.
basic
He tried to gild his résumé with exaggerated achievements.
natural
There's no need to gild the lily—it's beautiful already.
natural