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   In·ter·fere

   /ˌin(t)ərˈfir/

   

   verb

   • 1. take part or intervene in an activity without invitation or necessity: "you promised not to interfere" Similar butt intobarge intopry intonose intobe nosy aboutintrude intointervene inget involved inintercede inencroach onimpinge onimpose oneself onmeddle intamper withtread on someone's toesstep on someone's toesinformal:poke one's nose intomess withhorn in onmuscle in onstick one's oar ingatecrashkibitz onarchaic:entrench on
   • 2. prevent (a process or activity) from continuing or being carried out properly: "a job would interfere with his studies" Similar impedeobstructget in the way ofstand in the way ofhinderbe a hindrance toinhibitrestrictrestrainconstrainhamperhandicapcrampcheckblockfrustratethwartbalkhold backhold updisturbdisruptinfluenceaffectconfuseinformal:throw a spanner in the works ofthrow a monkey wrench in the works ofrare:trammelcumber
   • ▪ (of a thing) strike against (something) when working; get in the way of: "the rotors are widely separated and do not interfere with one another"
   • 3. handle or adjust (something) without permission, especially so as to cause damage: "he admitted interfering with a van"
   • ▪ attempt to bribe or intimidate (a witness): "they face charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice and interfering with witnesses"
   • ▪ sexually molest or assault (someone, especially a child). euphemistic British Similar sexually abuseabusesexually assaultindecently assaultassaultmolestgropeharmdamageinformal:feel uptouch uppawmaul
   • 4. (of light or other electromagnetic waveforms) mutually act upon each other and produce interference: "light pulses interfere constructively in a fiber to emit a pulse"
   • ▪ cause interference to a broadcast radio signal.
   • 5. (of a horse) knock one foot against the fetlock of another leg.

   Word Origin late Middle English: from Old French s'entreferir ‘strike each other’, from entre- ‘between’ + ferir (from Latin ferire ‘to strike’).

   Derivatives

   • 1. interferer noun

   Scrabble Points: 12

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