INTERLUDE

interlude, intermezzo, entr'acte

(noun) a brief show (music or dance etc) inserted between the sections of a longer performance

interlude

(noun) an intervening period or episode

interlude

(verb) perform an interlude; “The guitar player interluded with a beautiful improvisation”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

interlude (plural interludes)

An intervening episode, etc.

An entertainment between the acts of a play.

(music) A short piece put between the parts of a longer composition.

Verb

interlude (third-person singular simple present interludes, present participle interluding, simple past and past participle interluded)

(transitive) To provide with an interlude.

Source: Wiktionary

In`ter*lude, n. Etym: [OE. enterlude, LL. interludium; LL. inter between + ludus play, fr. ludere to play: cf. F. interlude. See Ludicrous.]

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.

3. (Mus.)

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition