intervene
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to come between disputing people, groups, etc.; intercede; mediate.
-
to occur or be between two things.
-
to occur or happen between other events or periods.
Nothing important intervened between the meetings.
-
(of things) to occur incidentally so as to modify or hinder.
We enjoyed the picnic until a thunderstorm intervened.
-
to interfere with force or a threat of force.
to intervene in the affairs of another country.
-
Law. to interpose and become a party to a suit pending between other parties.
verb
-
(often foll by in) to take a decisive or intrusive role (in) in order to modify or determine events or their outcome
-
to come or be (among or between)
-
(of a period of time) to occur between events or points in time
-
(of an event) to disturb or hinder a course of action
-
economics to take action to affect the market forces of an economy, esp to maintain the stability of a currency
-
law to interpose and become a party to a legal action between others, esp in order to protect one's interests
Other Word Forms
- intervener noun
- reintervene verb (used without object)
- unintervening adjective
Etymology
Origin of intervene
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin intervenīre “to come between,” from inter- inter- + venīre “to come”; basis, come
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Even if the U.S. doesn’t intervene in Greenland, this whole talk of the town about Greenland already represents a very powerful message to Moscow,” he said.
The unions complained to an independent unit within government which has now offered to intervene by mediating between the unions and McDonald's.
From BBC
"If a party worker indulges in hate speech or a hate crime, the ruling party may not sanction prosecution. Under this law, the government cannot intervene," the official said.
From BBC
They change as the pulsar, the intervening gas, and Earth all move relative to one another.
From Science Daily
Nato did not intervene but its most powerful member the US was able to help mediate.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
