https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/217b221/pkgs/applications/misc/goldendict/0001-dont-check-for-updates.patch
Disable calling home for updates.

diff --git i/config.cc w/config.cc
index 04b63f5..7a453d9 100644
--- i/config.cc
+++ w/config.cc
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ Preferences::Preferences():
   pronounceOnLoadPopup( false ),
   useInternalPlayer( InternalPlayerBackend::anyAvailable() ),
   internalPlayerBackend( InternalPlayerBackend::defaultBackend() ),
-  checkForNewReleases( true ),
+  checkForNewReleases( false ),
   disallowContentFromOtherSites( false ),
   enableWebPlugins( false ),
   hideGoldenDictHeader( false ),
@@ -867,8 +867,8 @@ Class load() THROW_SPEC( exError )
       c.preferences.proxyServer.systemProxyPassword = proxy.namedItem( "systemProxyPassword" ).toElement().text();
     }

-    if ( !preferences.namedItem( "checkForNewReleases" ).isNull() )
-      c.preferences.checkForNewReleases = ( preferences.namedItem( "checkForNewReleases" ).toElement().text() == "1" );
+    //if ( !preferences.namedItem( "checkForNewReleases" ).isNull() )
+    //  c.preferences.checkForNewReleases = ( preferences.namedItem( "checkForNewReleases" ).toElement().text() == "1" );

     if ( !preferences.namedItem( "disallowContentFromOtherSites" ).isNull() )
       c.preferences.disallowContentFromOtherSites = ( preferences.namedItem( "disallowContentFromOtherSites" ).toElement().text() == "1" );
@@ -1819,9 +1819,9 @@ void save( Class const & c ) THROW_SPEC( exError )
       proxy.appendChild( opt );
     }

-    opt = dd.createElement( "checkForNewReleases" );
-    opt.appendChild( dd.createTextNode( c.preferences.checkForNewReleases ? "1" : "0" ) );
-    preferences.appendChild( opt );
+    //opt = dd.createElement( "checkForNewReleases" );
+    //opt.appendChild( dd.createTextNode( c.preferences.checkForNewReleases ? "1" : "0" ) );
+    //preferences.appendChild( opt );

     opt = dd.createElement( "disallowContentFromOtherSites" );
     opt.appendChild( dd.createTextNode( c.preferences.disallowContentFromOtherSites ? "1" : "0" ) );
diff --git i/preferences.cc w/preferences.cc
index 72c3147..7e48f00 100644
--- i/preferences.cc
+++ w/preferences.cc
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@ Preferences::Preferences( QWidget * parent, Config::Class & cfg_ ):
            this, SLOT( customProxyToggled( bool ) ) );

   ui.checkForNewReleases->setChecked( p.checkForNewReleases );
+  ui.checkForNewReleases->setEnabled( false );
   ui.disallowContentFromOtherSites->setChecked( p.disallowContentFromOtherSites );
   ui.enableWebPlugins->setChecked( p.enableWebPlugins );
   ui.hideGoldenDictHeader->setChecked( p.hideGoldenDictHeader );