See Also: Interfere(medicine)
interfere(dictionary)
interfere(dictionary)

interfere (iou)



interfere verb. Also enterfere. LME.
[Branch I from Old French entreferir; branch II from Old French s'entreferir strike each other; both formed as ENTER-1, INTER- + ferir (mod. ferir) from Latin ferire to strike.]
I. verb trans.
Intermingle; intersperse with; interpose. LME-L15.
II. verb intrans.
Of a person or persons: enter into something without right or invitation, or intending to hinder or obstruct (foll. by with). Of a thing: come into conflict or collision (with). Of things: strike against each other (now rare). LME.
B. T. Bradford I wouldn't want her to think he was interfering, queering her pitch. A. Storr The primary instinct was being blocked or interfered with. J. Johnston Her nails..were..short, so as not to interfere with her piano playing.
b. Foll. by with: molest or assault sexually. M20.
Of a horse: = CUT verb 30. Of a hoof or foot: strike the inside of the fetlock of another leg. M16.
verb intrans. Clash in opinions, tendencies, etc.; conflict. M17-M19.
Intersect, cross each other. M17-E18.
Intervene so as to affect an action. (Foll. by in, between.) M18.
P. G. Wodehouse It is better for a third party to quarrel with a buzz-saw than to interfere between husband and wife. N. Coward I'm not going to interfere Let them fight if they want to. Times Nato should not seek to interfere in Italy's internal affairs.
Of light or other waves: mutually act upon each other and produce interference. (Foll. by with.) E19.
Chess. Of a piece: obstruct the line of action of another piece. (Foll. by with.) E20.
Broadcasting. Transmit a signal which is received simultaneously with the signal sought by the receiver; cause or emit interference. E20.
Baseball & Amer. Football. Interpose so as to obstruct an opposing player. E20.
interferer noun E19.
interfering ppl adjective that interferes; esp. (of a person) having a propensity to interfere in other people's affairs: L16.
interferingly adverb M19.
interferingness noun L19.