Begilds

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To deceive or mislead someone through false attractiveness or charm
2. To cause someone to be mistaken by presenting a misleading or charming impression
3. To trick or fool by making something seem better or different than it really is

Etymology: "Begilds" is the third-person singular form of "begild," a verb meaning to deceive someone through false attractiveness or charm. The verb is built from the prefix "be-" and the word "gild," so its literal sense is close to "to cover over with gilding." Gilding is the thin layer of gold applied to a surface to make a plain object look precious, and the idea carries straight into the figurative meaning: something glittering on the outside can hide a worthless or unpleasant interior. The prefix "be-" once had a strong force in Old English, where it could turn a verb into one meaning "to cover with" or "to affect thoroughly," as in "bespatter" or "besmear." "Begild" follows that pattern, applying a golden surface over something. The result is a word whose core image is cosmetic: appearance laid over reality, which is exactly what the verb describes when someone is charmed into trusting a false show.

Synonyms: gilds, goldplates, embellishes, adorns, decorates

Antonyms: dulls, devalues, disfigures, defaces, blemishes