Middle English Dictionary Entry
gī̆lden v.
Entry Info
| Forms | gī̆lden v. Forms: p. gilt(e & gildede; ppl. i)gilt, gilte, gilti, i)gult, i)gelt, glit & i)gild, gilde, gildie, iguld, i)geld & gilded, igilled. |
| Etymology | Cp. OE ofergyldan & ppls. begylded, gegyld. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To overlay (sth.) with gold, cover with gilding, gild; (b) fig. to conceal (sth. bad) under a fair exterior or appearance; (c) to decorate (sth.) with gold; inlay (sth.) with gold, embroider or brocade with gold thread; make (letters) with gold leaf or gold pigment; adorn (sth. with figures) in gold; ~ heles, heels with gold or gilt spurs; (d) fig. to adorn or embellish (sth.); enrich (a language).
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)26/2 : Zuiche clepeþ oure lhord berieles ypeynt and y-gelt [Vices & V.(2): ygilt].
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)233/20 : Þanne byeþ þe þri cornes of þe lilye wil y-gelt mid þe golde of charite þet yefþ uayrhede.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3554 : Biforn his triumphe walketh she With gilte cheynes on hire nekke hangynge.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1330 : Þe celynge..was siluer plat, & with red gold ful wel yguld.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 370)1 Par.29.4 : Thre thousand talentis of gold..and seuen thousand talentis of syluer most fyne, to the wallis of the temple to ben gildid [L ad deaurandos; WB(2): to ouergilde].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ex.36.36 : Foure pylers of þe treese of sychim..with þe heuedis, he gyldyde [WB(2): ouergildide].
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.152 : Of gold þer is a borde..Of siluer oþer vesselle gilte [F endorrez] fulle richeli.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)925 : Many a riche gilt [LinI: gult] schelde Þat day shoon vpon þe felde.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1344 : Þay [idols] are gilde al with golde and gered wyth sylver.
- (1415) Will in Bdf.HRS 228 : It'm, a gilt pot of paris..a saler of siluer with iij bordures about ygilt.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.662 : Þei putten in stede of morter, In þe Ioynturys copur, gilt ful clere.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)1366 : Þre maumettes þer inne wore, Of gold gailich y-geld.
- (1425) EEWills65/12 : Y will þat sir Thomas Fawkys haue two gilt cuppis.
- (1432) Rec.St.Mary at Hill26 : Also v chales of seluer, iiij gilt & j white.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)193 : Gyldyn wythe golde: Deauro.
- (1444) Will Daubeney in Som.RS 19341 : ij salers gilt, with vj spones gilt, a dosyn ungilt.
- (1447) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 11118 : A croce of tre with Mary & John all y-gyllyd.
- a1450 SLeg.Barlaam (Bod 779)334 : Þe king leet make foure fatis..þe tweyȝe he leet gilde wit out.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)326 : A gay egle of gold on a gilde appul.
- (1454) EEWills133/2 : Y bequethe to..Iohan Frowyk..the gilde pece wiþ smale stones sette ther-on.
- (?1474) Stonor1.146 : Item, j crucifyxe of sylver y-gylt.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)402 : They hangyd on euery swyrde hylte A peyre of sporys newe gylte.
- a1500 in Singer Cat.Alchem.2.620 : For to gylde ferro, scilicet yron, or for to siluer hit, make amalgam as thu woldist gilde.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)27603 : I-nogh mai we finde..þat wiþ-in is rotin as molde, & wiþ-oute gilt as golde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.380 : He myȝt..pretend a colour fresche of hewe, I-gilt outward so lusty and so newe As þer wer no tresoun hydde with-Inne.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.518 : He nouȝt aduerteth þe menyng fraudelent, þe prevy poysoun vnder sugre cured..þe cloudy fals engyn, I-gilt with-oute, but vnder was venym.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)65/6 : For to make ȝoure synnes whit and to gyldyn hem vnder excusatorie wordes and colours.
c
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7847 : Þair gilt pensel wiþ þe winde Mirie ratled of cendel Ynde.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)44.11 : Þe quene on righthal[u]es stode, In schroude gilt [L deaurato].
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)1964 : Þere was many gounfanoun Of gylt sendel and cyclatoun.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7327 : Þere was..many shelde wiþ bestes ygilt [LinI: ygult].
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)777 : Þenne gederez he to Gryngolet with þe gilt helez.
- a1400 MPPsalter (Dub 69)44.11 : Glyt [Add: þe quene stode..in gildan cloþyng].
- (c1404) *Exch.Misc.Deed (PRO) (PRO)6-28d : Will' Blith came..yn gise of a Kneyȝt with a grete gylde girdil.
- a1425-a1500(?c1350) Libeaus (Kaluza)2100 : Hir body and hir winge Schine..As amall gay and geld [vrr. gilte, ygyld].
- (1428) EEWills82/10 : I woll þat my best candelsteke y-gylt with þe cros be sold.
- (1447) *Mun.B.Bridgewater105 : Itm' j sevte of vestementes callid the gylte sevte.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)558 : Hewen on þe heþen..For-schorne gild schroud.
- (1455) Acc.St.Ewen in BGAS 15147 : The best Manuel that begynneth with thes wordes: Secundum Marcum, wrytten with rede inke..and sueth Exorzizo te creatura..with the lettre 'C' gylt and lympned.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)44.11 : Þe quene upstode at þi rightside in gilt clathynge.
d
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.198 : Clerkis..by olde tyme.. cherisched werne of lordes..For they enacted and gilte with her sawes Her hyȝe renoun, her manhood and prowes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4237 : For he [Chaucer] owre englishe gilt with his sawes.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)3.3174 : First Phoroneus be dilligent labour Fond out lawes..The Grekis studie he gilte with gret honour.
2.
To tinge (sth.) with a golden color, make (sth.) shine like gold; ppl. gild, golden.
Associated quotations
- (1296) Sub.R.Sus.in Sus.RS 1045 : Pho. Geldberd.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3930 : Whan siluer welles scheden oute her stremys In þe ryuers, gilt with þe sonne bemys.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6733 : Þe sone schon..And gilt eche hil, vale, pleyn, & roche With his bemys.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3228 : She..gan to rende her gilt [vr. gylty] tresses clere.
- c1430(c1380) Chaucer PF (Benson-Robinson)267 : Hyre gilte heres with a golden thred Ibounden were.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1315 : She falleth..Dischevele, with hire bryghte gilte [vrr. gelt, gelte] her.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)338 : Throgh the glas the sonne shon Upon my bed..With many glade gilde [vrr. gyldye, gilti] stremes.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)230 : His gilte [vr. gild] heer was corowned with a sonne, Instede of gold, for hevynesse and wyghte.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3989 : Gilde hores hade þat gay, godely to se.
3.
Alch. To imbue (wine or alcohol) with the properties of gold by dipping heated gold in it.
Associated quotations
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)7/16,24 : The science how ȝe schule gilde..by brennynge watir or wiyn..wherby þe water or þe wiyn schal take to it miȝtily þe influence & þe vertues of fyne gold..ȝe schule haue ȝoure licour by an hundrid part bettir gilt þan ȝe had tofore wiþ þe floreyn.