gild the lily see under lily

gild the pill

To make a disagreeable thing seem less so

lily /lilˈi/

1. Any plant or flower of the genus Lilˈium, typical genus of Liliāˈceae, a family of monocotyledons differing from rushes chiefly in the large conspicuous flowers
2. Extended to other plants of the same family, of the related family Amaryllidaceae, or unrelated
3. The fleur-de-lis
4. A person or thing of great purity or whiteness (figurative)

1. White
2. Pale

liliāˈceous adjective

lilˈied adjective

1. Adorned with lilies
2. Resembling lilies

lilˈy-livˈered adjective

1. White-livered
2. Cowardly

lily of the Nile noun

Richardia or Zantedeschia

lily of the valley noun

Convallaria, with two long oval leaves and spikes of white bell-shaped flowers

lily pad noun

A leaf of a water lily

lilˈy-trotter noun another name for the jaçana

lilˈy-white adjective

1. Pure white
2. Faultless, without blame

gild or paint the lily

To attempt to beautify that which is already beautiful