【字面理解】替百合花鍍金
【英文解析】to try to improve something which is already perfect, and so spoil it
【中文解析】畫蛇添足;多此一舉
【典型例句】① Comment on this would be to gild the lily. 對(duì)此發(fā)表評(píng)論無(wú)異于畫蛇添足。
② She is already very beautiful and to use a lot of make-up is to gild the lily.她長(zhǎng)得很美,畫濃妝是多此一舉。
【注釋】該習(xí)語(yǔ)出自莎士比亞的歷史劇《約翰王》—(King John)第四幕第二場(chǎng):To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, to throw a perfume on the violet, to smooth the ice, or add another hue unto the rainbow... is wasteful and ridiculous excess. King John 4: 2 (給金子鍛上金箔,給 百合涂上顏色,給紫羅蘭灑香水,把冰磨光滑,給彩虹添顏色……是多此一舉、荒謬至.極。)后來(lái)to gild refined gold, to paint the lily 就演變成 gild the lily 或 paint the lily,用以形容多此一舉或畫蛇添足。