Emily Dickinson Lexicon

GILD, v.t. [pret. and pp. gilded or gilt. Sax. gildan, gyldan, geldan, to pay a debt, to gild, and gild, tribute, tax, toll; D. and G. geld, money; Dan. gield, a debt; Sw. gåld. To gild is to cover with gold; G. vergolden; D. vergulden; Dan. forgylder; Sw. förgylla; from gold, or its root, Dan. guul, Sw. gul, Sax. gealew, yellow, connected with Ir. geal, W. golau, light, bright. Class Gl, No. 6, 7.]

1. To overlay with gold, either in leaf or powder, or in amalgam with quicksilver; to overspread with a thin covering of gold; as, the gilt frame of a mirror. Cyc. Her joy in gilded chariots when alive, / And love of ombre after death survive. Pope.
2. To cover with any yellow matter. Shak.
3. To adorn with luster; to render bright. No more the rising sun shall gild the morn. Pope.
4. To illuminate; to brighten. South. Let oft good humor, mild and gay, / Gild the calm evening of your day. Trumbull.
5. To give a fair and agreeable external appearance; to recommend to favor and reception by superficial decoration; as, to gild flattery or falsehood.