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take the gilt off the gingerbread

To take away the most attractive or appealing qualities of something; to destroy the illusion.

Etymology:

  • In the Middle Ages, gingerbread cakes were decorated with thin golden layers. Without this casing, they were considered to be humble offerings; generally being little more than flavoured but stale bread. Attested since 1854, originally New Zealand English.
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Submitted on July 10, 2018

Translation

Find a translation for the take the gilt off the gingerbread phrase in other languages:

enlevez la dorure du pain d'épice

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to take the gilt off the gingerbread

take the caketake the caketake the curetake the pisstake the plungetake the falltake the counttake the fieldtake the law into one's own handstake the counttake the mickeytake the heattake the michaeltake the bull by the horns

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    "take the gilt off the gingerbread." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/take-the-gilt-off-the-gingerbread_26659>.

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