paint the lily 作不恰当而过分的修饰；画蛇添足

也作： gild the lily  作无结果的事

源出莎士比亚剧本《约翰王》(King John) 第四幕第二场： 把纯金镀上金箔，替纯洁的百合花涂抹粉彩，实在是浪费而可笑的多事。

(To gild refined gold, / to paint the lily, ... Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.)

现这句成语多作 gild the lily

例： She was an attractive girl before she married, but then her husband gilded the lily by making her wear expensive clothes and she now looks just like all other rich wives around her. 她结婚之前本来是位很妩媚的姑娘，但婚后她丈夫要锦上添花，让她穿昂贵的衣服，现在她看来只不过像她周围的其他阔夫人一样罢了。