intervene

in·ter·vene

intransitive verb \ˌin-tər-ˈvēn\

in·ter·venedin·ter·ven·ing

Definition of INTERVENE

1

: to occur, fall, or come between points of time or events <only six months intervened between their marriage and divorce>

2

: to enter or appear as an irrelevant or extraneous feature or circumstance <it's business as usual until a crisis intervenes>

3

a : to come in or between by way of hindrance or modification <intervene to stop a fight>

b : to interfere with the outcome or course especially of a condition or process (as to prevent harm or improve functioning)

4

: to occur or lie between two things

5

a : to become a third party to a legal proceeding begun by others for the protection of an alleged interest

b : to interfere usually by force or threat of force in another nation's internal affairs especially to compel or prevent an action

— in·ter·ven·tion \-ˈven(t)-shən\ noun

— in·ter·ven·tion·al \-ˈvench-nəl, ˈven(t)-shə-n^əl\ adjective

Examples of INTERVENE

1. Twenty years intervened between their first and last meetings.
2. The prisoner asked me to intervene with the authorities on his behalf.
3. The military had to intervene to restore order.
4. We will leave on time unless some crisis intervenes.

Origin of INTERVENE

Latin intervenire to come between, from inter- + venire to come — more at come

First Known Use: 1587

Related to INTERVENE

Synonyms

intercede, intermediate, interpose, mediate

Related Words

butt in, interfere, intrude, meddle, obtrude, pry, snoop; arbitrate, moderate, negotiate, referee; barge (in), bother; break (in), chime in, cut in; infringe, invade, trespass

Near Antonyms

stand by; avoid, eschew, shun; disregard, ignore, overlook

See Synonym Discussion at interpose

Rhymes with INTERVENE

Aberdeen, almandine, amandine, argentine, Argentine, atropine, Balanchine, barkentine, bengaline, blanc de chine, bombazine, Borodin, brigandine, brigantine, brilliantine, Byzantine, carotene, carrageen, celandine, clozapine, contravene, crepe de chine, crystalline, damascene, Dexedrine, dopamine, Dramamine, drum machine, duvetyn, eglantine, endocrine, Eocene, epicene, estuarine, evergreen, fescennine, figurine, Florentine, gabardine, gaberdine, gadarene, galantine, gasoline, Ghibelline, go-between, golden mean, grenadine, Gretna Green, guillotine, Halloween, haute cuisine, Hippocrene, histamine, Holocene, in-between, indigene, jelly bean, Josephine, jumping bean, kerosene, kidney bean, langoustine, legatine, lethal gene, Levantine, libertine, limousine, lycopene, M16, magazine, make the scene, mangosteen, margravine, Medellín, melamine, messaline, mezzanine, Miocene, mousseline, navy bean, Nazarene, nectarine, nicotine, opaline, organzine, palanquin, pelerine, percaline, peregrine, philhellene, Philistine, pinto bean, Pleistocene, Pliocene, riverine, quarantine, reserpine, saccharine, Sakhalin, Saladin, San Joaquin, sapphirine, schizophrene, serpentine, seventeen, sibylline, slot machine, submarine, subroutine, supervene, tambourine, tangerine, Theatine, time machine, tourmaline, trampoline, transmarine, travertine, Tridentine, Ursuline, Vaseline, velveteen, wintergreen, wolverine, zibeline