ˈɡɪldɪŋ ðə ˈlɪli
Nature & Weather
formal
advanced
- Literally:
- Applying gold leaf to a lily flower
What does "gilding the lily" mean?
To adorn something that is already beautiful, making it worse through excess
Examples
- Adding a heavy sauce to such fresh fish would be gilding the lily.
- The building's architecture was already stunning — the neon lights were just gilding the lily.
- Her essay was excellent; adding more adjectives would just be gilding the lily.
Origin
A misquotation from Shakespeare's King John (Act 4, Scene 2).
How to use it
Used to suggest additional effort is unnecessary. Common in art, food, and fashion criticism.
Similar expressions
overembellish
overdo it
overkill
Opposites
understated
minimalist approach
Related idioms
- out of the blue
Unexpectedly; without warning
- beat around the bush
To avoid talking about the main point of a conversation
- every cloud has a silver lining
There is something positive in every negative situation
- go with the flow
To accept things as they are and adapt accordingly
- once in a blue moon
Very rarely; almost never
- tip of the iceberg
A small visible part of a much larger hidden problem
Use it in a practice answer
Try "gilding the lily" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.