gold leaf
Definition
Noun: A very thin sheet of gold, typically produced by hammering or rolling, used for gilding surfaces such as wood, metal, or in art and decoration.
Usage
"Gold leaf" is an uncountable noun. It refers to the material itself, not individual pieces. It is commonly used in the context of art, crafts, architecture, and restoration to describe the application of thin gold sheets. - The artisan carefully applied gold leaf to the picture frame. - The dome of the cathedral is covered in gold leaf.
Advanced Usage
- To be in gold leaf: Describes an object that has been gilded.
- The antique mirror frame is in gold leaf.
- Gold leaf work: Refers to the craft or technique of applying gold leaf.
- She specializes in traditional gold leaf work for furniture restoration.
Variants and Related Words
- Gild (verb): The act of applying a thin layer of gold, such as gold leaf, to an object.
- They plan to gild the statue.
- Gilding (noun): The process or result of applying gold leaf or a gold-colored substance.
- The gilding on the ceiling is centuries old.
- Gold foil: A related but often thicker and less malleable material than gold leaf.
Synonyms
- Gold sheet
- Gilding foil
Related Phrases
- To apply gold leaf: The specific action of attaching the thin gold to a surface, often using an adhesive size.
- It takes great skill to apply gold leaf smoothly.
- Loose leaf gold: A term sometimes used for gold leaf that is not mounted on a backing sheet.
Noun
-
a very thin form of gold foil
