golden

Everyday

1. Golden means made of gold. tree →
2. Golden means having the bright yellow colour of gold. tree →
3. Golden means very special, happy or excellent, as in «a golden chance». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life golden describes colours of hair, sand, leaves, toast and sunshine. In stories it marks precious or magical things: the golden goose, golden eggs, a golden crown. «The golden rule» means treat others as you want to be treated, a key idea in manners and safety lessons. In maths, the «golden ratio» is a special number about 1.618. Phrases: golden rule, golden chance, golden hair, golden anniversary, golden retriever.

Examples

• The princess wore a golden crown. tree →
• Bake the pie until the top is golden brown. tree →
• The golden sand on the beach was warm under our feet. tree →
• Our teacher's golden rule is: treat others as you want to be treated. tree →
• A golden retriever is a friendly dog with golden fur. tree →
• In autumn the trees turn red and golden. tree →
• Missing that goal was a golden chance lost. tree →
• In the fairy tale, the goose laid a golden egg every day. tree →
• "Give me back my golden stirrup." tree →

Note

Usually not compared (no «goldener»); say «more golden». «Gold» can also be an adjective (a gold ring), but «golden» is more often used for colour or special value. A golden wedding means fifty years married.

In Jewish tradition

Golden here means made of pure gold, as in the golden altar and the golden calf.

Interpretation. The golden altar stood inside the tent for incense. It stood for prayer rising to God. The golden calf is the worst example of the same metal used for idols.

Examples

• one golden pan of ten shekels, full of incense; (Torah NUM.7.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• And he put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil; (Torah EXO.40.26, JPS 1917) tree →
• And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. (Torah EXO.32.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• Then the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre. (Writings EST.8.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• Out of the north cometh golden splendour, about God is terrible majesty. (Writings JOB.37.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon was the showbread; (Writings 2CH.4.19, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Usually not compared (no «goldener»); say «more golden». «Gold» can also be an adjective (a gold ring), but «golden» is more often used for colour or special value. A golden wedding means fifty years married.