[in.ter.cept] vt [ME, fr. L interceptus, pp. of intercipere, fr. inter- + capere to take, seize--more at heave] (15c) 1 obs: prevent, hinder
2. a: to stop, seize, or interrupt in progress or course or before arrival b: to receive (a communication or signal directed elsewhere) usu. secretly 3 obs: to interrupt communication or connection with
4: to include (part of a curve, surface, or solid) between two points, curves, or surfaces "the part of a circumference ~ed between two radii"
5. a: to gain possession of (an opponent's pass) b: to intercept a pass thrown by (an opponent)
[2]in.ter.cept n (1821) 1: the distance from the origin to a point where a graph crosses a coordinate axis
2: interception; esp: the interception of a missile by an interceptor or of a target by a missile
3: a message, code, or signal that is intercepted (as by monitoring radio communications)