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intervene

[ in-ter-veen ]
/ ˌɪn tərˈvin /
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See synonyms for: intervene / intervened / intervenes / intervening on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), in·ter·vened, in·ter·ven·ing.
to come between disputing people, groups, etc.; intercede; mediate.
to occur or be between two things.
to occur or happen between other events or periods: Nothing important intervened between the meetings.
(of things) to occur incidentally so as to modify or hinder: We enjoyed the picnic until a thunderstorm intervened.
to interfere with force or a threat of force: to intervene in the affairs of another country.
Law. to interpose and become a party to a suit pending between other parties.
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Origin of intervene

1580–90; <Latin intervenīre to come between, equivalent to inter-inter- + venīre to come; see convene

OTHER WORDS FROM intervene

re·in·ter·vene, verb (used without object), re·in·ter·vened, re·in·ter·ven·ing.un·in·ter·ven·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use intervene in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for intervene

intervene
/ (ˌɪntəˈviːn) /

verb (intr)
(often foll by in) to take a decisive or intrusive role (in) in order to modify or determine events or their outcome
(foll by in or between) to come or be (among or between)
(of a period of time) to occur between events or points in time
(of an event) to disturb or hinder a course of action
economics to take action to affect the market forces of an economy, esp to maintain the stability of a currency
law to interpose and become a party to a legal action between others, esp in order to protect one's interests

Derived forms of intervene

intervener or intervenor, noun

Word Origin for intervene

C16: from Latin intervenīre to come between, from inter- + venīre to come
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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