begild
Definition
Verb: 1. To cover or adorn with gold, or a substance resembling gold: This is the primary meaning, referring to the act of applying a gold-colored or gold-leaf finish to an object for decoration or to make it appear valuable.
Usage
The verb "begild" is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object (the thing being gilded). It is a formal and somewhat literary term, less common in everyday speech than its synonym "gild."
Examples: * The artisans were commissioned to begild the intricate wooden carvings on the altar. * The setting sun seemed to begild the surface of the lake with a shimmering, golden light. * He used cheap paint to begild the frame, hoping to make it look more expensive.
Advanced Usage
- Figurative Use: "Begild" can be used metaphorically to describe making something appear more attractive, noble, or valuable than it truly is.
- Example: The politician's speech served only to begild a policy that lacked substance.
Variants and Related Words
- Gild (verb): The more common and direct synonym for "begild." The two words are often interchangeable, though "gild" is far more frequent in modern usage.
- Gilded (adjective): Describes something that has been covered with gold or has a golden appearance. Often used figuratively (e.g., "the gilded youth").
- Gilding (noun): The process or result of applying a gold surface.
Synonyms
- Gild: To cover with a thin layer of gold.
- Adorn: To make more beautiful or attractive (a more general term).
- Embellish: To make more attractive by adding decorative details.
- Aureate (literary): Golden or gold-colored; can also mean elaborately ornate.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- To gild the lily: This is the standard form of the idiom. While "begild the lily" is theoretically possible, it is not the established phrase. The idiom means to try unnecessarily to improve something that is already beautiful or excellent.
Verb
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decorate with, or as if with, gold leaf or liquid gold
