Lard: meaning, definitions and examples

Mainly used in cooking, where it refers to rendered pork fat used as a cooking ingredient to add flavor and richness to dishes.

• The pie crust was incredibly flaky thanks to the lard used in the dough
• Many traditional recipes call for lard as a key ingredient

Termed more biologically and may be used in a more general sense to describe fat derived from a hog. This term is less common in everyday cooking vocabulary.

• The butcher explained the different uses for the hog fat
• Veterinarians sometimes discuss hog fat in studies of animal health

Typically refers to a type of fat used in cooking. It can be taken negatively if describing someone or something as overly fatty or greasy.

• The recipe calls for a tablespoon of lard.
• He criticized the dish for being too lardy.

Used when enhancing a story, object, or description by adding details, often to make it more attractive or interesting. It can also refer to adding decorations to objects.

• She likes to embellish her stories with vivid descriptions and details.
• The artist embellished the painting with intricate designs.

Used when describing something as larger, better, or worse than it really is, often to create a strong impression. It has a slight negative connotation implying overstatement or dishonesty.

• He tends to exaggerate the difficulties he faced during the project.
• The fisherman exaggerated the size of the fish he caught.