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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
1. To come between, or to be between, persons or things; -- followed by between; as, the Mediterranean intervenes between Europe and Africa. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]
3. To interpose; as, to intervene to settle a quarrel. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. [ 1913 Webster ]