Question

gild the lily phrasal verb You might be aware that "gild the lily" is attributed to Shakespeare, but there is a catch -- the phrase used in Shakespeare's play King John is actually "to paint the lily." The quotation reads, in part, "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily / To throw a perfume on the violet. . .. / Is wasteful and ridiculous excess." There are those who criticize "gild the lily" as a misquotation, and "paint the lily" does appear from time to time. But "gild the lily" has become firmly established, and it holds true to the spirit of the original version, even if the wording does not. : to add unnecessary ornamentation to something beautiful in its own right

Accepted Answer

April 4, 2008 GILD-thuh-LILL-ee My sister has good bone structure and lovely skin, so she doesn't need to gild the lily by wearing makeup.

Word	gild the lily
Date	April 4, 2008
Type	phrasal verb
Syllables	GILD-thuh-LILL-ee
Etymology	You might be aware that "gild the lily" is attributed to Shakespeare, but there is a catch -- the phrase used in Shakespeare's play King John is actually "to paint the lily." The quotation reads, in part, "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily / To throw a perfume on the violet. . .. / Is wasteful and ridiculous excess." There are those who criticize "gild the lily" as a misquotation, and "paint the lily" does appear from time to time. But "gild the lily" has become firmly established, and it holds true to the spirit of the original version, even if the wording does not.
Examples	My sister has good bone structure and lovely skin, so she doesn't need to gild the lily by wearing makeup.
Definition	: to add unnecessary ornamentation to something beautiful in its own right

Lily Gild Paint April Phrasal Verb Gild Thuh Lill Ee Aware