Dictionary

gild the pill en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Supposedly from an old pharmaceutical practice of coating bitter tasting pills with a thin layer of metal (see bitter pill).

Meanings

1. Synonym of sugarcoat the pill.
   • The chemists who first gilded the pill now sit on the Front Opposition Bench. 1891 May 8, Mr. Goschen, “Purchase of Land, &c.”, in parliamentary debates (House of Commons):
   • For he who'd make his fellow-creatures wise / Should always gild the philosophic pill! 1888, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, The Yeomen of the Guard […] , London: Chappel & Co., […], published c. 1911, page 17:

Forms

Relateds

put lipstick on a pig

Synonyms

sugarcoat the pill

Translations (11)

pl słodzić (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · hu megédesíti a pirulát (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · pl pochlebiać (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · fr dorer la pilule (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · pl kadzić (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · pl pochlebić (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · fi kaunistella (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · es dorar la píldora (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · it indorare la pillola (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · pt dourar a pílula (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat) · ru подсласти́ть пилю́лю (to make something unappealing look more attractive — see also sugarcoat)