gold-plated en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˌɡəʊldˈpleɪtɪd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˌɡoʊldˈpleɪtɪd/ (US)
Meanings
- (not-comparable) Having a thin layer of gold applied to the surface, often by electrolysis.
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(figuratively, not-comparable) Of a project, system, etc., incorporating costly or otherwise excessive features or refinements unnecessarily; overengineered.
There are countless examples of gold-plated or excessive infrastructure projects — whether publicly or privately financed.
2008, Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, “Economic and Policy Instruments to Promote Adapation”, in Shardul Agrawala, Samuel Frankhauser, editors, Economic Aspects of Adaptation to Climate Change: Costs, Benefits and Policy, OECD Publishing, →ISBN, Public private partnerships, page 125:One often hears of gold plated designs with reference to our engineers lack of concern for cost.
1988, Sadhan Choudhury, “Concepts of Project Management”, in Project Management, Tata McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, page 33:"[...] We could have made this a gold-plated railway but that would have cost a considerable amount more than £40m."
2021 November 17, Andrew Mourant, “Okehampton: a new dawn for Dartmoor”, in RAIL, number 944, page 41:We have to do enough that works. Not a gold-plated program, but a solid one
2001, United States Congress, quoting Senator Max Baucus, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 107th Congress, First Session, Volume 147—Part 4: March 27, 2001 to April 23, 2001, Government Printing Office, Congressional Record—Senate April 3, 2001, page 5264:The consequence of this regulatory approach is that it has provided an opportunity for airport companies to exercise their market power indirectly through higher-than-necessary levels of investment in capacity and in costly gold-plated investment.
2008, David Starkie, “Testing the Regulatory Model”, in Aviation Markets: Studies on Competition and Regulatory Reform, Ashgate Publishing, →ISBN, page 108:
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(figuratively, not-comparable) Of a law, regulation, etc., embellished to excess, especially so as to be stifling, or rigid and inflexible.
The UK has this gold-plated approach, is that beneficial to the UK in terms of the rest of Europe and in terms of the business and the employees? Do we benefit to a greater degree by adopting such an approach
2007, House of Lords: European Union Committee, quoting Baroness Gale, Modernising European Union Labour Law: Has the UK Anything to Gain?, Report with Evidence, 22nd Report of Session 2006-07, The Stationery Office, →ISBN, 29 March 2007: Ms Susan Anderston and Mr Tom Moran, page 32:Has society introduced swathes of new gold-plated regulations?
2002 January 29, Peter Ainsworth, “Farming and Food Commission Report”, in parliamentary debates (House of Commons), column 155:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| gold plated | alternative | lexicographic | |
| goldplated | alternative | lexicographic |
Relateds
Translations (11)
fr plaqué or (having a thin layer of gold) · fi kullattu (having a thin layer of gold) · hy ոսկեպատ (having a thin layer of gold) · pl złocony (having a thin layer of gold) · fi kullalla päällystetty (having a thin layer of gold) · nl verguld (having a thin layer of gold) · grc χρυσοπέταλος (having a thin layer of gold) · el επιχρυσωμένος (having a thin layer of gold) · uk позоло́чений (having a thin layer of gold) · de vergoldet (having a thin layer of gold) · sv guldpläterad (having a thin layer of gold)