intervene

Verb

• get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force
  • "Why did the U.S. not intervene earlier in WW II?"
• be placed or located between other things or extend between spaces and events
  • "This interludes intervenes between the two movements"
  • "Eight days intervened"
• occur between other event or between certain points of time
  • "the war intervened between the birth of her two children"
• To become involved in a situation, so as to alter or prevent an action.
• To occur, fall, or come between, points of time, or events.
• To occur or act as an obstacle or delay.
• To say (something) in the middle of a conversation or discussion between other people, or to respond to a situation involving other people.
• To come between, or to be between, persons or things.
• 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.

Examples

• an application for leave (i.e. permission) to intervene
• An instant intervened between the flash and the report.
• I hadn't seen him since we were in school, and the intervening years had not been kind to him.
• Nothing intervened to prevent the undertaking.
• The Mediterranean intervenes between Europe and Africa.
• The police had to be called to intervene in the fight.

Synonyms

interfere, interpose, step in, interrupt

Related Words

intervener, intervention