gild the lily

Definition

To embellish or improve something unnecessarily.

Etymology

A common misquotation of a line from William Shakespeare's play King John.

Example Sentences

• "Poor Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, so maligned for her imaginative pictures of Lovere and Lake Iseo, may surely be forgiven for having gilded the lily, for adding an extra touch of romance where the romantic already so abounded"