in|ter|rupt

in|ter|rupt «_IHN tuh RUHPT», verb, noun.

–v.t.

1. to break in upon (talk, work, rest, or a person speaking); hinder; stop: »

A fire drill interrupted the lesson. I don't want to be interrupted in my business (Joseph Conrad).

2. to make a break in; stand in the way of; obstruct: »

A building interrupts the view from our window.

–v.i.

to cause a break; break in: »

It is not polite to interrupt when someone is talking.

–n.

1. a temporary stop; interruption: »

[The computer] can deal with foreground real-time interrupts in 6 microseconds without losing control of any of its other jobs, yet every background user will get his answers faster than he needs them (Scientific American).

2. any breach, separation, or gap: »

Wide though the interrupt be that divides us…we nod them as neighbors (W. H. Auden).

╂[< Latin interruptus, past participle of interrumpere break apart < inter- between + rumpere break]