Other

intervene

Definition of intervene

[no object]

1take part in something so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events:he acted outside his authority when he intervened in the dispute [with infinitive]:their forces intervened to halt the attack
(of an event or circumstance) occur as a delay or obstacle to something being done:Christmas intervened and the investigation was suspended
interrupt verbally: [with direct speech]:‘It’s true!’ he intervened
Law become involved in a lawsuit as a third party.

2 (usually as adjective intervening) occur in the time between events:to occupy the intervening months she took a job in a hospital
be situated between things:they heard the sound of distant gunfire, muffled by the intervening trees

Derivatives

late 16th century (in the sense 'come in as an extraneous factor or thing'): from Latin intervenire, from inter- 'between' + venire 'come'

Definition of intervene in the US English dictionary

Nearby words