interfere

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

Interfere \In`ter*fere"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Interfered}; p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Interfering}.] [OF. entreferir to strike each
   other; entre between (L. inter) + OF. ferir to strike, F.
   f['e]rir, fr. L. ferire. See {Ferula}.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To come in collision; to be in opposition; to clash; --
      usually used with with; as, interfering claims, or
      commands; workers in a crowded shop may interfere with
      each other's activity.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

   2. To enter into, or take a part in, the concerns of others;
      to intermeddle; to interpose; -- used with in or with; as,
      to interfere with the way I raise my children.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]

            To interfere with party disputes.     --Swift.
      [1913 Webster]

            There was no room for anyone to interfere with his
            own opinions.                         --Bp.
                                                  Warburton.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Patent Law) To cover the same ground; to claim the same
      invention; as, to interfere with another patent.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To interpose; intermeddle. See {Interpose}.
        [1913 Webster]
    

142 Moby Thesaurus words for "interfere":
      antagonize, arrest, baffle, balk, bar, barge in, be antipathetic,
      be inimical, beat against, block, bottle up, break in,
      break in upon, burst in, busybody, butt in, charge in, check,
      clash, collide, come between, conflict, conflict with, confute,
      contradict, contrapose, contravene, counter, counteract,
      counterattack, countercheck, counterpose, countervail, counterwork,
      crash, crash in, crash the gates, creep in, cross, crowd in, curb,
      cut in, dam up, damp, dampen, delay, detain, discommode, edge in,
      elbow in, encroach, encumber, entrench, foil, foist in, fool,
      frustrate, go against, go counter to, hamper, handicap, hinder,
      hold back, hold in check, hold up, horn in, impede, impinge,
      impose, impose on, impose upon, incommode, inconvenience,
      infiltrate, infringe, inhibit, insinuate, intercede, intercept,
      interfere with, interlope, intermeddle, intermediate, interpose,
      interrupt, intervene, intrude, invade, irrupt, keep back,
      keep in check, kibitz, lock horns, make, meddle, mediate,
      meet head-on, militate against, monkey with, obstruct, obtrude,
      oppose, oppugn, press in, push in, put on, put upon, repress,
      resist, restrain, retard, run against, run counter to, rush in,
      sabotage, scotch, set back, slacken, slink in, slip in, slow,
      smash in, sneak in, snub, squeeze in, steal in, step in, storm in,
      subvert, suppress, swim upstream, tamper with, throng in,
      thrust in, thwart, trammel, trench, trespass, trouble,
      work against, work in, worm in