Adjacent Words

Interfere definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

INTERFE'RE, v.i. [L. inter and fero, to bear, or ferio, to strike.]
1. To interpose; to intermeddle; to enter into or take a part in the concerns of others. It is prudence not to interfere in party disputes, but from necessity.
2. To clash; to come in collision; to be in opposition. The claims of two nations may interfere.
3. A horse is said to interfere, when one hoof or shoe strikes against the fetlock of the opposite leg, and breaks the skin or injures the flesh.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: come between so as to be hindrance or obstacle; "Your talking interferes with my work!"
2: 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?" [syn: intervene, step in, interfere, interpose]

Merriam Webster's

intransitive verb (-fered; -fering) Etymology: Middle English enterferen, from Anglo-French (s')entreferir to strike one another, from entre- inter- + ferir to strike, from Latin ferire — more at bore Date: 15th century 1. to interpose in a way that hinders or impedes ; come into collision or be in opposition 2. to strike one foot against the opposite foot or ankle in walking or running — used especially of horses 3. to enter into or take a part in the concerns of others 4. to act reciprocally so as to augment, diminish, or otherwise affect one another — used of waves Synonyms: see interpose • interferer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.intr. 1 (usu. foll. by with) a (of a person) meddle; obstruct a process etc. b (of a thing) be a hindrance; get in the way. 2 (usu. foll. by in) take part or intervene, esp. without invitation or necessity. 3 (foll. by with) euphem. molest or assault sexually. 4 Physics (of light or other waves) combine so as to cause interference. 5 (of a horse) knock one leg against another. Derivatives: interferer n. interfering adj. interferingly adv. Etymology: OF s' entreferir strike each other (as INTER-, ferir f. L ferire strike)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Interfere In`ter*fere", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Interfered; p. pr. & vb. n. Interfering.] [OF. entreferir to strike each other; entre between (L. inter) + OF. ferir to strike, F. f['e]rir, fr. L. ferire. See Ferula.] 1. To come in collision; to be in opposition; to clash; as, interfering claims, or commands. 2. To enter into, or take a part in, the concerns of others; to intermeddle; to interpose. To interfere with party disputes. --Swift. There was no room for anyone to interfere with his own opinions. --Bp. Warburton. 3. To strike one foot against the opposite foot or ankle in using the legs; -- sometimes said of a human being, but usually of a horse; as, the horse interferes. 4. (Physics) To act reciprocally, so as to augment, diminish, or otherwise affect one another; -- said of waves, rays of light, heat, etc. See Interference, 2. 5. (Patent Law) To cover the same ground; to claim the same invention. Syn: To interpose; intermeddle. See Interpose.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(interferes, interfering, interfered) 1. If you say that someone interferes in a situation, you mean they get involved in it although it does not concern them and their involvement is not wanted. I wish everyone would stop interfering and just leave me alone... The UN cannot interfere in the internal affairs of any country. VERB: V, V in/with n [disapproval] 2. Something that interferes with a situation, activity, or process has a damaging effect on it. Smoking and drinking interfere with your body's ability to process oxygen. VERB: V with n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. n. 1. Intermeddle, meddle, interpose, put in one's oar. 2. Clash, conflict, be opposed, come into collision.

Moby Thesaurus

antagonize, arrest, baffle, balk, bar, barge in, be antipathetic, be inimical, beat against, block, bottle up, break in, break in upon, burst in, busybody, butt in, charge in, check, clash, collide, come between, conflict, conflict with, confute, contradict, contrapose, contravene, counter, counteract, counterattack, countercheck, counterpose, countervail, counterwork, crash, crash in, crash the gates, creep in, cross, crowd in, curb, cut in, dam up, damp, dampen, delay, detain, discommode, edge in, elbow in, encroach, encumber, entrench, foil, foist in, fool, frustrate, go against, go counter to, hamper, handicap, hinder, hold back, hold in check, hold up, horn in, impede, impinge, impose, impose on, impose upon, incommode, inconvenience, infiltrate, infringe, inhibit, insinuate, intercede, intercept, interfere with, interlope, intermeddle, intermediate, interpose, interrupt, intervene, intrude, invade, irrupt, keep back, keep in check, kibitz, lock horns, make, meddle, mediate, meet head-on, militate against, monkey with, obstruct, obtrude, oppose, oppugn, press in, push in, put on, put upon, repress, resist, restrain, retard, run against, run counter to, rush in, sabotage, scotch, set back, slacken, slink in, slip in, slow, smash in, sneak in, snub, squeeze in, steal in, step in, storm in, subvert, suppress, swim upstream, tamper with, throng in, thrust in, thwart, trammel, trench, trespass, trouble, work against, work in, worm in