APAD: Lay it on with a trowel

Meaning:

    To crudely labour a point, or flatter in an overly generous manner.

 

Background:

   From Shakespeare's As You Like It, 1600.

 

     LE BEAU: Fair princess, you have lost much good sport.

     CELIA: Sport! of what colour?

     LE BEAU: What colour, madam! how shall I answer you?

     ROSALIND: As wit and fortune will.

     TOUCHSTONE: Or as the Destinies decree.

     CELIA: Well said: that was laid on with a trowel.

 

- www.phrases.org.uk [edited]

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I recently saw 'pile it on thick' in a mystery novel where a newsperson did all

he could to impress his audience with Inspector Montalbano's breakthrough in

a double-murder case.

 

    He piled it on thick, pumping up the story in every way possible.