In′ter‐vene″ (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p.Intervened (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Intervening.] [L. intervenire, interventum, to intervene, to hinder; inter between + venire to come; akin to E. come: cf. F. intervenir. See Come.]
1. To come between, or to be between, persons or things; — followed by between; as, the Mediterranean intervenes between Europe and Africa.
2. To occur, fall, or come between, points of time, or events; as, an instant intervened between the flash and the report; nothing intervened (i.e., between the intention and the execution) to prevent the undertaking.
3. To interpose; as, to intervene to settle a quarrel.
4. In a suit to which one has not been made a party, to put forward a defense of one's interest in the subject matter. Abbott.