Adjacent Words

Intercept definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

INTERCEPT', v.t. [L. interceptus, intercipio, to stop; inter and capio, to take.]
1. To take or seize on by the way; to stop on its passage; as, to intercept a letter. The prince was intercepted at Rome. The convoy was intercepted by a detachment of the enemy.
2. To obstruct; to stop in progress; as, to intercept rays of light; to intercept the current of a river, or a course of proceedings.
3. To stop, as a course or passing; as, to intercept a course.
4. To interrupt communication with, or progress towards.
While storms vindictive intercept the shore.
5. To take, include or comprehend between.
Right ascension is an arch of the equator, reckoning towards the east, intercepted between the beginning of Aries, and the point of the equator which rises at the same time with the sun or star in a right sphere.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the point at which a line intersects a coordinate axis v
1: seize on its way; "The fighter plane was ordered to intercept an aircraft that had entered the country's airspace" [syn: intercept, stop]
2: tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information; "The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy"; "Is this hotel room bugged?" [syn: wiretap, tap, intercept, bug]

Merriam Webster's

I. transitive verb Etymology: Middle English, from Latin interceptus, past participle of intercipere, from inter- + capere to take, seize — more at heave Date: 15th century 1. obsolete 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) usually secretly 3. obsolete 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 intercepted between two radii> 5. a. to gain possession of (an opponent's pass) b. to intercept a pass thrown by (an opponent) II. noun Date: 1821 1. the distance from the origin to a point where a graph crosses a coordinate axis 2. interception; especially 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)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v.tr. 1 seize, catch, or stop (a person, message, vehicle, ball, etc.) going from one place to another. 2 (usu. foll. by from) cut off (light etc.). 3 check or stop (motion etc.). 4 Math. mark off (a space) between two points etc. --n. Math. the part of a line between two points of intersection with usu. the coordinate axes or other lines. Derivatives: interception n. interceptive adj. Etymology: L intercipere intercept- (as INTER-, capere take)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Intercept In"ter*cept`, n. (Math.) A part cut off or intercepted, as a portion of a line included between two points, or cut off two straight lines or curves.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Intercept In`ter*cept", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Intercepted; p. pr. & vb. n. Intercepting.] [L. interceptus, p. p. of intercipere to intercept; inter between + capere to take, seize: cf. F. intercepter. See Capable.] 1. To take or seize by the way, or before arrival at the destined place; to cause to stop on the passage; as, to intercept a letter; a telegram will intercept him at Paris. God will shortly intercept your breath. --Joye. 2. To obstruct or interrupt the progress of; to stop; to hinder or oppose; as, to intercept the current of a river. Who intercepts me in my expedition? --Shak. We must meet first, and intercept his course. --Dryden. 3. To interrupt communication with, or progress toward; to cut off, as the destination; to blockade. While storms vindictive intercept the shore. --Pope.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(intercepts, intercepting, intercepted) If you intercept someone or something that is travelling from one place to another, you stop them before they get to their destination. Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport... VERB: V n • interception (interceptions) ...the interception of a ship off the west coast of Scotland. N-VAR

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Stop on the way, seize on the passage. 2. Interrupt, obstruct, cut off.

Moby Thesaurus

arrest, attend, attend to, auscultate, be all ears, bend an ear, block, bottle up, bug, catch, check, cock the ears, countercheck, curb, cut off, dam up, damp, dampen, deflect, delay, detain, eavesdrop, examine by ear, give attention, give audience to, give ear, grab, hark, head off, hear, hear out, hearken, heed, hinder, hold back, hold in check, hold up, impede, inhibit, interfere, interfere with, intermeddle, interrupt, intervene, keep back, keep in check, lend an ear, listen, listen at, listen in, listen to, meddle, oppose, repress, resist, restrain, retard, scotch, seize, set back, sit in on, slacken, snub, stop, suppress, take, tap, trap, wiretap