gild the lily

English
WOTD – 16 October 2006

Etymology

A common misquotation of a line from William Shakespeare's play King John.[1]

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈɡɪld ðə ˈlɪli/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Verb

gild the lily (third-person singular simple present gilds the lily, present participle gilding the lily, simple past and past participle gilded the lily)

  1. (idiomatic) To embellish or improve something unnecessarily.
    Synonyms: go overboard, over-egg the pudding
  2. To add superfluous attributes to something.

Translations

See also

References
  1. William Shakespeare (1595) “act IV, scene 2”, in The Life and Death of King John‎:
    Salisbury: Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,
    To guard a title that was rich before,
    To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
    to throw a perfume on the violet,
    to smooth the ice, or add another hue
    unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
    to seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,
    is wasteful and ridiculous excess.
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