gold-plated

1. Literally, coated something in a thin layer of gold. I just don't understand why you would ever want—let alone need—a gold-plated bathtub. Do you know if this bracelet is real gold or just gold-plated? Why on earth do you have gold-plated hubcaps?

2. By extension, having or incorporating unnecessary, superfluous, or overbearing refinements, additions, or embellishments. Congress took what should have been a straightforward clean water initiative and turned it into a cumbersome and wildly impractical gold-plated bill. The county council has been accused of wastefully using taxpayer money to create gold-plated infrastructure improvements to the city. Don't submit a gold-plated request if you actually want the board to approve it.

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References in periodicals archive

A woman's heart always remains entangled in gold ornaments, if not pure, gold-plated becomes ultimate choice to defeat non-affordability and win the race to remain up-to-the-minutes with elegance.

Gold looks gold even if plated

The gold-plated version is being offered by London-based company Goldgenie.

$260,000 for gold iPhones

The gold-plated brass beads are less dense than the tungsten equivalent and tested because of their significant cost savings.

Cost-effective bead-based method for high-throughput homogenization of individual small arthropods

But just to send the bling factor right through the roof, this SUV also comes complete with a gold-plated exterior.

World's most expensive armored SUV goes on sale for $500k

In the public sector too, proposed changes to gold-plated pensions have been behind some of the biggest strikes in decades.

Oil giant to scrap final salary pensions

The most comprehensive review of public sector pensions, led by Lord Hutton, concluded that public sector pensions are not gold-plated. The average pension for a public servant is less than pounds 4,000, more tin than gold.

Tin-plated pensions; & COMMENT DEBATE YOUR LETTERS TO THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER OF WALES

A MEXICAN drug trafficker who had been on the run for nine years was carrying gold-plated pistols when he was finally recaptured.

GOLDEN GUNMAN; Mexican drug lord seized

Nokia introduces gold-plated Nokia Oro

The National News Agency said that thieves broke into Saint Elias Church in the village of Majdayel, and made off with gold-plated items used during Mass.

Jezzine church latest to be targeted by thieves

Corinne Sawers is seen holding the gold-plated weapon - similar to those found among Saddam Hussein's treasures after the 2003 Iraq invasion - in her profile pictures .The image of Oxford graduate Corinne, 23, in front of a family Christmas tree could cause problems for her father, MI6 boss Sir John.

MI6 CHIEF 'S GIRL AND THE GOLDEN KALASHNIKOV; Red faces over a Facebook pic

Tesco's bargain engagement ring is made from gold-plated silver and the stones are zirconia - a cheap, man-made substitute for diamonds.

TIGHT WEDDING; Tesco's pounds 15 engagement ring

Summary: London, July 29, 2010, SPA -- A set of gold-plated dentures worn by British wartime leader Winston Churchill were auctioned for 15,200 pounds (23,740 dollars) Thursday.

Churchill&'s false teeth snapped up at auction

The real gold-plated pensions belong to public sector fat cats who have got fatter under the previous government.

Pensions perfidy; Mailbag