Intervene

• POS: Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: in=ter=vene

CIDE DICTIONARY

Intervene, v. i. [L. intervenire, interventum, to intervene, to hinder; inter between + venire to come; akin to E. come: cf. F. intervenir. See Come.].

•  To come between, or to be between, persons or things; -- followed by between; as, the Mediterranean intervenes between Europe and Africa.  [1913 Webster]
•  To occur, fall, or come between, points of time, or events; as, an instant intervened between the flash and the report; nothing intervened ( i. e., between the intention and the execution) to prevent the undertaking.  [1913 Webster]
•  To interpose; as, to intervene to settle a quarrel.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  Abbott.  [1913 Webster]

Intervene, v. t. 

 To come between.  [1913 Webster]
"Self-sown woodlands of birch, alder, etc., intervening the different estates."  [1913 Webster]

Intervene, n. 

 A coming between; intervention; meeting.  Sir H. Wotton.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Intervene, v.intr. (often foll. by between, in)
1 occur in time between events.
2 interfere; come between so as to prevent or modify the result or course of events.
3 be situated between things.
4 come in as an extraneous factor or thing.
5 Law interpose in a lawsuit as a third party.

Derivative

intervener n. intervenient adj. intervenor n.

Etymology

L intervenire (as INTER-, venire come)

THESAURUS

Intervene

act between, arbitrate, arrest, bargain, barge in, bottle up, break, break in, break in upon, burst in, butt in, call a break, call time, charge in, check, come between, countercheck, crash, crash in, crash the gates, creep in, crowd in, curb, cut in, dam up, damp, dampen, declare a recess, delay, detain, divide, drag in, edge in, elapse, elbow in, encroach, entrench, foist in, fudge in, go between, hinder, hold back, hold in check, hold up, horn in, impede, impinge, implant in, impose, impose on, impose upon, infiltrate, infringe, inhibit, inject in, insert in, insinuate, insinuate in, intercalate, intercede, intercept, interfere, interjaculate, interject, interlope, interlude, intermeddle, intermediate, intermit, interpolate, interpose, interrupt, interval, introduce in, intrude, invade, irrupt, judge, keep back, keep in check, lug in, make terms, meddle, mediate, meet halfway, moderate, negotiate, obtrude, oppose, part, pass, pause, press in, push in, put between, put on, put upon, recess, referee, represent, repress, resist, restrain, retard, run in, rush in, sandwich, scotch, separate, set back, sever, slacken, slink in, slip in, smash in, smuggle in, sneak in, snub, squeeze in, steal in, step in, storm in, suppress, take a break, take five, take ten, throng in, throw in, thrust in, treat with, trench, trespass, umpire, wedge in, work in, worm in

ROGET THESAURUS

Intervene

Instrumentality

VB subserve, minister, mediate, intervene, be instrumental, pander to, officiate, tend.

Discontinuity

VB be discontinuous, alternate, intermit, sputter, stop and start, hesitate, discontinue, pause, interrupt, intervene, break, break in upon, break off, interpose, break the thread, snap the thread, disconnect, dissever.

Mediation

VB mediate, mediatize, intercede, interpose, interfere, intervene, step in, negotiate, meet halfway, arbitrate, magnas componere lites, bargain.

Time

VB continue last endure, go on, remain, persist, intervene, elapse, hold out, take time, take up time, fill time, occupy time, pass time, pass away time, spend time, while away time, consume time, talk against time, tide over, use time, employ time, seize an opportunity, waste time.

Interposition

VB lie between, come between, get between, intervene, slide in, interpenetrate, permeate, put between, introduce, import, throw in, wedge in, edge in, jam in, worm in, foist in, run in, plow in, work in, interpose, interject, intercalate, interpolate, interline, interleave, intersperse, interweave, interlard, interdigitate, sandwich in, fit in, squeeze in, let in, dovetail, splice, mortise, insinuate, smuggle, infiltrate, ingrain, interfere, put in an oar, thrust one's nose in, intrude, obtrude, have a finger in the pie, introduce the thin end of the wedge, thrust in.