The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Gilding \Gild"ing\ (g[i^]ld"[i^]ng), n.
   1. The art or practice of overlaying or covering with gold
      leaf; also, a thin coating or wash of gold, or of that
      which resembles gold.
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   2. Gold in leaf, powder, or liquid, for application to any
      surface.
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   3. Any superficial coating or appearance, as opposed to what
      is solid and genuine.
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   Gilding metal, a tough kind of sheet brass from which
      cartridge shells are made.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Gild \Gild\ (g[i^]ld), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gilded or Gilt
   (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Gilding.] [AS. gyldan, from gold gold.
   [root]234. See Gold.]
   1. To overlay with a thin covering of gold; to cover with a
      golden color; to cause to look like gold. "Gilded
      chariots." --Pope.
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            No more the rising sun shall gild the morn. --Pope.
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   2. To make attractive; to adorn; to brighten.
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            Let oft good humor, mild and gay,
            Gild the calm evening of your day.    --Trumbull.
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   3. To give a fair but deceptive outward appearance to; to
      embellish; as, to gild a lie. --Shak.
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   4. To make red with drinking. [Obs.]
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            This grand liquior that hath gilded them. --Shak.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

gilding
    n 1: a coating of gold or of something that looks like gold
         [syn: gilt, gilding]