gild en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ɡɪld/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From Middle English gilden, gulden, from Old English gyldan (“to gild, to cover with a thin layer of gold”), from Proto-West Germanic *gulþijan, from Proto-Germanic *gulþijaną, from Proto-Germanic *gulþą (“gold”).
Meanings
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(transitive) To cover with a thin layer of gold; to cover with gold leaf.
High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt.
1888 May, Oscar Wilde, “The Happy Prince”, in The Happy Prince and Other Tales, London: David Nutt, […], →OCLC, page 1:
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(transitive) To adorn.
I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight.
c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vi]:
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(transitive) To decorate with a golden surface appearance.
Gild the entire outside with beaten egg yolk, and sprinkle it with grated parmesan.
2008, Ivan P. Day, Cooking in Europe, 1650-1850, page 98:
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(transitive) To give a bright or pleasing aspect to.
When sparkling stars twire not, thou gild'st the even.
1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 28”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
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(transitive) To give a brilliant colour or flush to one's face; (also) to make appear drunk.
[Alonso] And Trinculo is reeling-ripe: vvhere sſhould they Finde this grand Liquor that hath gilded'em? Hovv cam'ſt thou in this pickle?
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 18, column 2:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| gilded | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| gilded | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| gilding | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| gilt | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| gilt | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| gilds | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Deriveds
gilder · overgild · ungild · gilded cage · begild · Gilded Age · regild · electrogild · gild the pill · engild · gild the lily · gildable
Hypernyms
Translations (69)
de schmücken (to adorn) · ru украша́ть (to adorn) · gd òr (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · cs zlatit (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · it abbellire (to adorn) · mk позлати (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · fi kullata (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ga óraigh (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · gv airhey (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · br aourajiñ (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · es dorar (to give a bright or pleasing aspect to) · de vergolden (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · it indorare (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · uk позолоти́ти (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · sh pozlatiti (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · es dorar (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · pl pozłacać (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · uk позоло́чувати (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · sv förgylla (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ru позолоти́ть (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ar ذَهَّبَ (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · bg украсявам (to adorn) · la inaurō (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · da forgylde (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · km ស្រោបមាស (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · cy addurno (to adorn) · hu bearanyoz (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ru золоти́ть (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · grc χρυσόω (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · tr yaldızlamak (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ia aurar (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ota یالدزلامق (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ka შემკობა (to adorn) · vi trá (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · la deaurō (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · km បិទមាស (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · nl verfraaien (to adorn) · gl dourar (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · cs pozlatit (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · fr dorer (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · it indorare (to give a bright or pleasing aspect to) · oc daurar (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ca daurar (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ota آلتونلمق (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · qu qurichiy (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ka მოვარაყება (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ka გალამაზება (to adorn) · th ปิดทอง (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · gd òraich (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · uk золоти́ти (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · bg позлатявам (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ota تذهیب ایتمك (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · nl vergulden (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · cy euro (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · pt dourar (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · it adornare (to adorn) · ka მორთვა (to adorn) · kw owra (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ru укра́сить (to adorn) · ro auri (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · it dorare (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · nl opsmukken (to adorn) · la aurō (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · tr süslemek (to adorn) · io orizar (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · eo orumi (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · sh zlatiti (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · uk позлоти́ти (to cover with a thin layer of gold) · ka მოოქროვება (to cover with a thin layer of gold)