interfere Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb come between so as to be hindrance or obstacle
    • Your talking interferes with my work!
  2. verb get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force
    step in; intervene; interpose.
    • Why did the U.S. not intervene earlier in WW II?

WordNet

In`ter*fere" intransitive verb
Etymology
OF. entreferir to strike each other; entre between (L. inter) + OF. ferir to strike, F. férir, fr. L. ferire. See Ferula.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Interfered ; present participle & verbal noun Interfering
Definitions
  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.

Webster 1913