Gild
/ɡɪld/
verbB2
Definition
Gild means to put a thin layer of gold or something that looks like gold on the surface of an object. People do this to make the object look richer, more valuable, or more beautiful. It is often used in art, decoration, or on jewelry.
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See It in Action
To cover something with a thin layer of gold or gold-like material
- •The artist gilded the edges of the picture frame with real gold.
- •The old statue was gilded to restore its original shine.
- •They gilded the letters on the sign to make them stand out.
To make something appear more valuable or attractive than it really is (used figuratively)
- •The advertisement gilded the product, making it seem better than it was.
- •He tried to gild the story, adding details to make it more exciting.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "gild" like "cover," but instead of any cover, it is a shiny, golden cover that makes things look special.
- ✓Picture a picture frame or a statue shining with a thin layer of gold on its surface.
- ✓It's the feeling when you see something ordinary but it looks very rich and fancy because of a golden shine.
- ✓Sounds like "build" → imagine building a thin golden layer on something to make it better.
- ✓In stories, kings and queens often have gilded crowns or golden decorations to show their power and wealth.
- ✓NOT like "gold" (which is solid gold inside), "gild" means only the outside is covered with gold, not the whole thing.
- ✓NOT like "paint" (which can be any color), "gild" always means a golden or gold-like covering.
- ✓NOT like "decorate" in general, "gild" specifically means adding a thin gold layer to improve appearance.
Try Other Words
- •Decorate: to make something look nice or beautiful (Use when the change is about appearance but not necessarily gold)
- •Overlay: to put a layer on top of something (Use when the layer is not gold or when talking about materials in general)
- •Foil: to cover with a thin sheet of metal (Use when the covering is metal but not necessarily gold)
- •Paint: to put color on a surface (Use when adding color but not a gold layer)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix) root word "gild"
- •Etymology: From Old English "gyldan," meaning to cover with gold or to pay (because gold was valuable)
- •Historical development: Used since ancient times for art and decoration, especially in religious objects and royal items
- •Modern usage: Still used in art, design, and sometimes in a figurative way to mean making something look better than it really is
- •Interesting fact: The phrase "gild the lily" means to add unnecessary decoration to something already beautiful
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be too gilded? When does decoration stop being beautiful and start being too much?
•How does the idea of gilding relate to showing value or importance in everyday life?
Fill in the blanks
1.The craftsman gilded the statue ___ a thin layer of gold to make it shine.
2.When people say "gild the lily," they mean adding ___ decoration that is not needed.
3.The advertisement tried to gild the product by making it seem ___ than it really was.
4.Gilding is different from painting because it uses a ___ layer of gold instead of color.
5.The old picture frame was gilded ___ the edges to look more valuable.
6.If an object is gilded, it usually means only the ___ is covered with gold, not the inside.
7.Artists often gild objects to ___ their beauty and value.