v.
Pronunciation: ˌ in-t ə r- ' v ē n
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form: -vened ; -ven · ing
Etymology: Latin intervenire to come between, from inter- + venire to come ― more at COME
Date: 1587
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 intervene s >
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
synonyms see INTERPOSE
– in · ter · ven · tion \ - ' ven(t)-sh ə n \ noun
– in · ter · ven · tion · al \ - ' vench-n ə l, ' ven(t)-sh ə -n ə l \ adjective