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to interlard

to interlard

1 9.9
To interrupt speech or writing by adding short remarks to give variety
  • verb
  • /ˌɪntərˈlɑrd/
  • Archaic
: intercalar
  • To avoid monotony, the professor would often interlard his lectures with relevant quotes from famous philosophers.

Examples

  • The author decided to interlard the technical explanations with humorous stories to keep the readers' attention.

  • What I mean is that the idea of detached bodies floating in space, of different sizes and densities, perhaps of different colors and temperatures, and surrounded and interlarded with wisps of gaseous conditions, with some at rest while others move in peculiar manners, seems to me the ideal source for form.

    Academic text (1998)
  • In her speech, she chose to interlard personal anecdotes to make her points more engaging.

Synonyms

to throw in
vsto interlard
  • Informal
63 3.8

Add a short comment during a conversation

is used more broadly to add variety as well as interrupt
to interpose
vsto interlard
  • Formal
5 7.5

To interrupt by adding a remark or placing something between people

focuses on adding words for variety or interruption, not physical intervention
to interpolate
vsto interlard
  • Formal
2 9.2

Put extra words or lines into a text, often changing its original meaning

usually adds elements to vary wording without altering original meaning
to lard
vsto interlard
2 7.7

To add extra details to speech or writing to make it more interesting

tends to add elements that interrupt or create variety rather than embellish
to intersperse
vsto interlard
2 7.2

To put things in different places among other things

usually inserts individual elements that interrupt or add variety rather than scatter
to stick in
vsto interlard
  • Informal
2 4.1

Quickly add a short remark into a talk or conversation

is often deliberate and aims to vary or interrupt content

Antonyms

71 3.4

Leave out something, for example a name, on purpose or by accident

How Inserted

to interpose
  • Formal
5 7.5
to interlard
  • Archaic
1 9.9
to insert
249 3.5
to embroider
2 5.5
to add
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

interlard infinitive
interlarded past participle
interlarding present participle
interlards third person singular

Morphology

interlard = lard (semi-transparent) = inter + lard

Formed from inter- + lard (to lard = insert fat), but the sense has generalized metaphorically from inserting fat into meat to inserting words/phrases into speech or writing.

Etymology

Interlard comes from inter- meaning 'between' and lard meaning 'fat', like strips of fat put between pieces of meat. So to interlard speech or writing is to 'insert' small bits, like jokes or short stories, between other parts to add interest or break things up.