INDEX:
1. to stop someone when they are speaking
2. to deliberately keep interrupting someone in public
RELATED WORDS
to stop someone when they are doing something : ↑ DISTURB
to stop someone doing something : ↑ STOP
see also
↑ TALK
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1. to stop someone when they are speaking
▷ interrupt /ˌɪntəˈrʌpt/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to start speaking when someone else is already speaking :
▪ I wish you wouldn’t interrupt all the time.
▪ I’m sorry I interrupted you.
▪ He apologised for interrupting her speech.
interruption [countable noun]
▪ If there are any further interruptions, the whole class will stay behind.
▷ butt in /ˌbʌt ˈɪn/ [intransitive phrasal verb] spoken
to interrupt someone rudely :
▪ Will you please stop butting in!
▪ Mom, Joe keeps butting in and he won’t let me finish my story.
▷ cut in /ˌkʌt ˈɪn/ [intransitive phrasal verb] written
to interrupt someone before they have finished talking, so that you can say something :
▪ ‘There’s this nice guy . . .' ’I’m not interested," Roz cut in, laughing.
▪ Lila cut in again, answering before he could even open his mouth.
▷ cut somebody off/cut somebody short /ˌkʌt somebody ˈɒf, ˌkʌt somebody ˈʃɔːʳt/ [transitive phrasal verb/verb phrase]
to interrupt someone before they have finished what they were going to say :
▪ Her elder brother cut her off sharply -- ‘I won’t have you speaking to your mother like that!’
▪ I’m sorry to cut you short, Mrs Shaw, but I’m afraid we’ve run out of time.
▷ break in /ˌbreɪk ˈɪn/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
to join a conversation by interrupting someone or by saying something suddenly :
▪ "Sam, what on earth are you talking about?' she broke in at last.
▪ ‘That’s enough,’ the guard broke in impatiently. ‘Hurry up and say goodbye.’
break in on
▪ The tutor finally broke in on Sam’s monologue, much to the relief of the rest of the class.
2. to deliberately keep interrupting someone in public
▷ heckle /ˈhek ə l/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to deliberately interrupt a speaker or performer by shouting, especially to show that you do not agree with what they are saying :
▪ Comedians usually have a few ready comments for members of the audience that come to heckle.
▪ The speaker was heckled by a group of protestors.
heckling [uncountable noun]
▪ The speech was interrupted by endless heckling from a group of young men.
heckler [countable noun]
▪ The hecklers were thrown out of the conference hall.
▷ barrack /ˈbærək/ [transitive verb] British
to interrupt a speaker at a public meeting by shouting or making a noise so that no one can hear them, especially because you disapprove of what they are saying :
▪ The politician was barracked by students at the back of the hall.
barracking [uncountable noun]
▪ The barracking always comes from a small minority who want to disrupt the meeting.