Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Nearby Entries
intervened - 2 dictionary results

in⋅ter⋅vene

   [in-ter-veen]
–verb (used without object), -vened, -ven⋅ing.
1. to come between disputing people, groups, etc.; intercede; mediate.
2. to occur or be between two things.
3. to occur or happen between other events or periods: Nothing important intervened between the meetings.
4. (of things) to occur incidentally so as to modify or hinder: We enjoyed the picnic until a thunderstorm intervened.
5. to interfere with force or a threat of force: to intervene in the affairs of another country.
6. Law. to interpose and become a party to a suit pending between other parties.
Origin:
1580–90; < L intervenīre to come between, equiv. to inter- inter- + venīre to come; see convene
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source
in·ter·vene     (ĭn'tər-vēn')  Pronunciation Key 
intr.v.   in·ter·vened, in·ter·ven·ing, in·ter·venes
  1. To come, appear, or lie between two things: You can't see the lake from there because the house intervenes.
  2. To come or occur between two periods or points of time: A year intervened between the two dynasties.
  3. To occur as an extraneous or unplanned circumstance: He would have his degree by now if his laziness hadn't intervened.
    1. To involve oneself in a situation so as to alter or hinder an action or development: "Every gardener faces choices about how and how much to intervene in nature's processes" (Dora Galitzki).
    2. To interfere, usually through force or threat of force, in the affairs of another nation.
  5. Law To enter into a suit as a third party for one's own interests.


[Latin intervenīre : inter-, inter- + venīre, to come; see gwā- in Indo-European roots.]

in'ter·ve'nor, in'ter·ven'er n., in'ter·ven'tion (-věn'shən) n., in'ter·ven'tion·al adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Share :Share This: digg.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: del.icio.usShare This: FacebookShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: furl.netShare This: www.myspace.comShare This: www.google.comShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: myjeeves.ask.com
Search another word or see intervened on Thesaurus | Reference | Translate
Get your FREE Subscription to Dictionary.com Word of the Day
The FREE Dictionary.com Toolbar
Dictionary Thesaurus Reference
The answers are right on your browser and just a click away with Dictionary.com Toolbar.