gilt
Other forms: gilts
All those gold framed pictures you see hanging in museums? They're covered in gilt — a very thin layer of gold leaf, like paper, applied to the surface.
A common term associated with gilt is gilt-edged, implying something known to be reliably wealthy. Anything can be gilt-edged: a person, a town, or a reputation. The term comes from a form of government-issued bond, known as a gilt, which was originally gilded around the edges. Don't confuse gilt with guilt, which sounds the same but means a sense of knowing you've done something wrong. (Though, if you've stolen a gilt, does that make you gilty?)
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having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
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a coating of gold or of something that looks like gold
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Vocabulary lists containing gilt
In 1776, Isabel is enslaved by British loyalists. When she begins to work as a spy for American revolutionaries, she discovers that neither side is interested in her freedom—and decides to do something about it.
Oscar Wilde scandalized Victorian audiences with this macabre story of a man who trades his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Read the full text here.
The narrator of this short story recounts the life of an eccentric woman in his Southern town. Here are links to our lists for other works by William Faulkner: Absalom, Absalom!, As I Lay Dying