gold plate

See also: gold-plate

English

Alternative forms

• gold-plate

Noun

gold plate (countable and uncountable, plural gold plates)

1. A thin layer of gold applied to the surface of an object, often by an electrolytic method.
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see gold,‎ plate.

Verb

1. To apply gold plate to an object, to plate with gold.
2. (of projects) To incorporate costly or otherwise excessive features or refinements unnecessarily, to overengineer.
   • 1991, Advisory Commission on Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing, “Regulatory Barriers in the Suburbs”, in Thomas H. Kean, Thomas Ludlow Ashley, editors, Not in My Back Yard: Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing:‎^[1], DIANE Publishing, published 1993, →ISBN, Excessive Subdivision Controls, pages 2-8:

     Some communities gold-plate their subdivision ordinances because they know that developers, rather than the local voters, are paying.
3. (of laws, regulations, etc) To embellish, to extend beyond its intended scope, especially so as to become stifling, or rigid and inflexible.
   • 2006, House of Lords, quoting Bill Callaghan, Government Policy on the Management of Risk: 5th Report of Session 2005-06‎^[2], Volume II: Evidence, The Stationery Office, →ISBN, 17 January 2006 - Mr Bill Callaghan and Mr Geoffrey Podger; Q276, page 84:

     I do not think that we gold plate European regulations although I think others, insurers and other industry bodies, may gold plate on our behalf.

Usage notes

The sense relating to laws and regulations is particularly used in relation to European Union directives