Strafare

Esagerare con ornamenti

Meanings

To add unnecessary ornaments to something already beautiful; to overdo it

Examples

Therese has a charming English-style country cottage, but she likes to paint the lily and says she owns a mansion

Teresa ha un incantevole cottage all'inglese in campagna, ma le piace strafare e dice sempre che ha una villa padronale

If I had that naturally beautiful complexion of yours I wouldn't use any heavy make-up because it would be to gild the lily

Se avessi la tua carnagione così naturalmente bella non userei certamente un trucco pesante perché vorrebbe dire strafare

Origin

The expression is a misquotation from Lord Salisbury's speech in Shakespeare's "King John" (Act 4, Scene ii):
Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,

To guard a title that was rich before,

To GILD refined gold, to paint the LILY,

To throw a perfume on the violet,

To smooth the ice, or add another hue

Unto the rainbow, or with taperlight

To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,

Is wasteful, and ridiculous excess.