intervene
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
intervene
- /ˌɪntəˈviːn/ UK
- /ˌɪntɚˈvin/ Canada, US
- /ˌɪntəˈviːn/ Australia
- /ˌəntəˈviːn/ New Zealand
Rhymes with -iːn
Where it comes from
Back-formation from intervention, and/or from Latin interveniō (“come between”, verb).
verb intervenes · intervening · intervened
- To become involved in a situation, so as to alter or prevent an action. The police had to be called to intervene in the fight.
- To occur, fall, or come between, points of time, or events. An instant intervened between the flash and the report.
- To occur or act as an obstacle or delay. Nothing intervened to prevent the undertaking.
- To say (something) in the middle of a conversation or discussion between other people, or to respond to a situation involving other people. Young Scarfe stared, astounded. “You haven’t met before,” Mrs. Gould intervened. “Mr. Decoud—Mr. Scarfe.”
- To come between, or to be between, persons or things. The Mediterranean intervenes between Europe and Africa.
- In a suit to which one has not been made a party, to put forward a defense of one's interest in the subject matter. an application for leave (i.e. permission) to intervene
