interlard

American  

[in-ter-lahrd] / ˌɪn tərˈlɑrd /

verb (used with object)

1. to diversify by adding or interjecting something unique, striking, or contrasting (usually followed bywith ).

   to interlard one's speech with oaths.

2. (of things) to be intermixed in.

3. Obsolete. to mix, as fat with lean meat.

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interlard British  

/ ˌɪntəˈlɑːd /

verb

1. to scatter thickly in or between; intersperse

   to interlard one's writing with foreign phrases

2. to occur frequently in; be scattered in or through

   foreign phrases interlard his writings

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Other Word Forms

• interlardation
  noun
• interlardment
  noun

Etymology

Origin of interlard

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English interlarden, enterlarde, from Middle French entrelarder, equivalent to entre “between,” from Latin inter + larder “to cook with lard or bacon fat”; see origin at inter- + lard

Explanation

Interlard refers to speech or writing and it means "to load up with" or "to pepper." Your mom's request that you come to a family dinner might be interlarded with references to how often lately you've been out with friends. Are you wondering about seeing lard inside interlard? In the 15th century, interlard came into English from Middle French, where it meant to "mix with alternate layers of fat." Yum, right? :-) Maybe not, but important to remember, as interlarded speech or writing is well-greased in a figurative way. Think of your math teacher's lessons interlarded with jokes from The Simpsons :-) or a word-learning blurb interlarded with smiles :-).

Example Sentences

Interlard, in-tėr-l�rd′, v.t. to mix in, as fat with lean: to diversify by mixture.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various