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intervention

American  
[in-ter-ven-shuhn] / ˌɪn tərˈvɛn ʃən /

noun

  1. the act or fact of coming or occurring between two people, things, or times.

    Squabbling siblings generally work things out themselves, but this fight called for parental intervention.

    Even the intervention of 20 years hadn’t erased their mutual dislike.

  2. interposition or interference of one state in the affairs of another.

    The UN’s prohibition of armed intervention in the civil war can easily be criticized as antihumanitarian.

  3. a planned confrontation of someone engaging in self-destructive behavior, such as substance abuse, to convince them to seek treatment.

    She thought her drinking was a well-kept secret until she came home to find six of her siblings and friends ready to conduct an intervention.

  4. Education. a targeted short-term teaching strategy for students with specific needs.

    Reading interventions kept several of her students from having to switch to remedial classes.

  5. Medicine/Medical. a treatment, procedure, or other action taken to prevent or treat disease, or to improve health in other ways.

    The patient has responded well to nonpharmacological interventions for high blood pressure.


intervention British  
/ ˌɪntəˈvɛnʃən /

noun

  1. the act of intervening

  2. any interference in the affairs of others, esp by one state in the affairs of another

  3. economics the action of a central bank in supporting the international value of a currency by buying large quantities of the currency to keep the price up

  4. commerce the action of the EU in buying up surplus produce when the market price drops to a certain value

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • interventional adjective
  • interventionary adjective
  • prointervention adjective
  • reintervention noun

Etymology

Origin of intervention

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin interventiōn-, stem of interventiō “interruption, occurrence”; equivalent to intervene + -tion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Although only Congress can declare war, a law dating back to 1973 allows the president to launch a limited military intervention in response to an emergency situation created by an attack on the United States.

From Barron's

Seven penalties have been awarded for the offence this season, four after a VAR intervention.

From BBC

Bank Indonesia said it will step in as needed to keep the rupiah in line with economic fundamentals, and will remain active through interventions, an official said in a statement.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Swiss National Bank’s scope to weaken the franc is also limited as its policy rate is already at zero and forex interventions are likely to be used sparingly, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal

"You can be fine one minute and in debilitating pain, almost needing hospital intervention, within a few days."

From BBC