Word Meanings - INTERLUDE - Book Publishers vocabulary database

A short piece of instrumental music played between the parts of a song or cantata, or the acts of a drama; especially, in church music, a short passage played by the organist between the stanzas of a hymn, or in German chorals after each line.

Additional info about word: INTERLUDE

A short piece of instrumental music played between the parts of a song or cantata, or the acts of a drama; especially, in church music, a short passage played by the organist between the stanzas of a hymn, or in German chorals after each line. (more info) between + ludus play, fr. ludere to play: cf. F. interlude. See 1. A short entertainment exhibited on the stage between the acts of a play, or between the play and the afterpiece, to relieve the tedium of waiting. Dreams are but interludes, which fancy makes When monarch reason sleeps. Dryden. 2. A form of English drama or play, usually short, merry, and farcical, which succeeded the Moralities or Moral Plays in the transition to the romantic or Elizabethan drama.

Related words: (words related to INTERLUDE)

• PLAY
  quick motion, and probably to OS. plegan to promise, pledge, D. plegen to care for, attend to, be wont, G. pflegen; of unknown 1. To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. As Cannace was
• CHURCHLINESS
  Regard for the church.
• AFTERCAST
  A throw of dice after the game in ended; hence, anything done too late. Gower.
• ORGANISTA
  Any one of several South American wrens, noted for the sweetness of their song.
• CHURCHLIKE
  Befitting a church or a churchman; becoming to a clergyman. Shak.
• AFTER
  To ward the stern of the ship; -- applied to any object in the rear part of a vessel; as the after cabin, after hatchway. Note: It is often combined with its noun; as, after-bowlines, after- braces, after-sails, after-yards, those on the mainmasts
• PLAYGROUND
  A piece of ground used for recreation; as, the playground of a school.
• PLAYWRITER
  A writer of plays; a dramatist; a playwright. Lecky.
• AFTERPAINS
  The pains which succeed childbirth, as in expelling the afterbirth.
• INSTRUMENTAL
  Pertaining to, made by, or prepared for, an instrument, esp. a musical instrument; as, instrumental music, distinguished from vocal music. "He defended the use of instrumental music in public worship." Macaulay. Sweet voices mix'd with instrumental
• MUSIC HALL
  A place for public musical entertainments; specif. , esp. a public hall for vaudeville performances, in which smoking and drinking are usually allowed in the auditorium.
• PLAYTE
  See PLEYT
• SHORT-WITED
  Having little wit; not wise; having scanty intellect or judgment.
• CHURCH
  AS. circe, cyrice; akin to D. kerk, Icel. kirkja, Sw. kyrka, Dan. kirke, G. kirche, OHG. chirihha; all fr. Gr. ç'd4ra hero, Zend. çura 1. A building set apart for Christian worship. 2. A Jewish or heathen temple. Acts xix. 37. 3. A formally
• CHURCHYARD
  The ground adjoining a church, in which the dead are buried; a cemetery. Like graves in the holy churchyard. Shak. Syn. -- Burial place; burying ground; graveyard; necropolis; cemetery; God's acre.
• CHURCH-BENCH
  A seat in the porch of a church. Shak.
• GERMANIZATION
  The act of Germanizing. M. Arnold.
• SHORT CIRCUIT
  A circuit formed or closed by a conductor of relatively low resistance because shorter or of relatively great conductivity.
• CHURCH MODES
  The modes or scales used in ancient church music. See Gregorian.
• PIECER
  1. One who pieces; a patcher. 2. A child employed in spinning mill to tie together broken threads.
• PHILOMUSICAL
  Loving music. Busby.
• SPARPIECE
  The collar beam of a roof; the spanpiece. Gwilt.
• MEDAL PLAY
  Play in which the score is reckoned by counting the number of strokes.
• DRIFTPIECE
  An upright or curved piece of timber connecting the plank sheer with the gunwale; also, a scroll terminating a rail.
• CODPIECE
  A part of male dress in front of the breeches, formerly made very conspicuous. Shak. Fosbroke.
• SPLAYFOOT
  A foot that is abnormally flattened and spread out; flat foot.