gold-plate

Verb

gold plate (third-person singular simple present gold plates, present participle gold plating, simple past and past participle gold plated)

1. (transitive) To apply gold plate to an object, to plate with gold.
2. (figuratively, transitive) Of a project, to incorporate costly or otherwise excessive features or refinements unnecessarily, to overengineer.
   • Some communities gold-plate their subdivision ordinances because they know that developers, rather than the local voters, are paying.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...
3. (figuratively, transitive) Of a law, regulation, etc., to embellish, to extend beyond its intended scope, especially so as to become stifling, or rigid and inflexible.
   • 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.2006, House of Lords, quoting Bill Callaghan, Government Policy on the Management of Risk: 5th Report of Session 2005-06, Volume II: Evidence, The Stationery Office, →ISBN, 17 January 2006 - Mr Bill...

See all 5 meanings of gold plate