Etymology Past participle of gild (“to cover in gold”), thus meaning literally “(something) covered in gold”. Ultimately related to gold (which see). Compare feed, which is related (similarly by ablaut) to food. Cognate with Dutch (ver)guld, Icelandic gyllt and Faroese gylt.
1
Usually Gold or other metal in a thin layer; gilding.
2
Broadly, Usually Gold-colored paint or other coating.
three corrupted men […] Have, for the gilt of France,—O guilt indeed!— Confirm'd conspiracy with fearful France1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, prologue]:
4
Business, FinanceUK, Usually A security (usually a bond) issued by the Bank of England (see gilt-edged).
higher gilt yields
However, as asset prices slumped over the week – including UK government bonds, or gilts – those banks required more collateral to offset the pension funds’ liabilities, forcing the funds to dump assets and raise cash at short notice.2022 September 29, Kalyeena Makortoff, Sarah Butler, “‘I’d never seen anything like it’: how market turmoil sparked a pension fund selloff”, in The Guardian:
5
Obsolete, Usually A gilded object, an object covered with gold.
The parysh of Seint Powle in Norwiche. Thomas Blocke, George Wylson, Churchwardens. Have sold in plate, gylte and parcell gylte, to the summe of iiij ownce, every ownce at the price of iiijs. viijd.1864, “Returns of Church Goods in The Churches of the City of Norwich”, in Commission of 6 Edward VI, 1552, quoted in Norfolk Archaeology, Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society, page 371:
Etymology Past participle of gild (“to cover in gold”), thus meaning literally “(something) covered in gold”. Ultimately related to gold (which see). Compare feed, which is related (similarly by ablaut) to food. Cognate with Dutch (ver)guld, Icelandic gyllt and Faroese gylt.
1
Golden coloured; gilded.
The Jones man was looking at her hard. Now he reached into the hatch of his vest and fetched out a couple of cigars, everlasting big ones, with gilt bands on them.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter X, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC: