Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Intervene

Inˊter-vene′

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Intervened
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Intervening
.]
[L.
intervenire
,
interventum
, to intervene, to hinder;
inter
between +
venire
to come; akin to E.
come
: cf. F.
intervenir
. See
Come
.]
1.
To come between, or to be between, persons or things; – followed by between;
as, the Mediterranean
intervenes
between Europe and Africa
.
2.
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.
3.
To interpose;
as, to
intervene
to settle a quarrel
.
4.
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.

Inˊter-vene′

,
Verb.
T.
To come between.
[R.]
Self-sown woodlands of birch, alder, etc.,
intervening
the different estates.
De Quincey.

Inˊter-vene′

,
Noun.
A coming between; intervention; meeting.
[Obs.]
Sir H. Wotton.

Webster 1828 Edition


Intervene

INTERVE'NE

,
Verb.
I.
[L. intervenio; inter and venio, to come.]
1.
To come or be between persons or things; to be situated between. Thus the Atlantic intervenes between Europe and America; the Mediterranean intervenes between Europe and Africa.
2.
To come between points or time or events; as the period that intervened between the treaty of Ryswick and the treaty of Utrecht.
3.
To happen in a way to disturb, cross or interrupt. Events may intervene to frustrate our purposes or wishes.
4.
To interpose or undertake voluntarily for another. A third party may intervene and accept a bill of exchange for another.

INTERVE'NE

,
Noun.
A coming between. [Not used.]