Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Play ·90 of 348
"Gilding the lily."
They never said that.
What people say
"Gilding the lily."
What was actually said
"To gild refined gold, to paint the lily." Salisbury — Shakespeare, King John, IV.ii
Why it stuck
Shakespeare's line is a list of pointless embellishments. Popular usage welds two items of the list together — gilding belongs to gold, painting to the lily.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.