interrupt

interrupt
    n 1: a signal that temporarily stops the execution of a program
         so that another procedure can be carried out
    v 1: make a break in; "We interrupt the program for the
         following messages" [syn: {interrupt}, {disrupt}, {break
         up}, {cut off}]
    2: destroy the peace or tranquility of; "Don't interrupt me when
       I'm reading" [syn: {interrupt}, {disturb}]
    3: interfere in someone else's activity; "Please don't interrupt
       me while I'm on the phone" [syn: {interrupt}, {disrupt}]
    4: terminate; "She interrupted her pregnancy"; "break a lucky
       streak"; "break the cycle of poverty" [syn: {interrupt},
       {break}]
    

Interrupt \In`ter*rupt"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Interrupted}; p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Interrupting}.] [L. interruptus, p. p. of
   interrumpere to interrupt; inter between + rumpere to break.
   See {Rupture}.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To break into, or between; to stop, or hinder by breaking
      in upon the course or progress of; to interfere with the
      current or motion of; to cause a temporary cessation of;
      as, to interrupt the remarks of anyone speaking.
      [1913 Webster]

            Do not interrupt me in my course.     --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To divide; to separate; to break the monotony of; as, the
      evenness of the road was not interrupted by a single hill.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Interrupt \In`ter*rupt"\, p. a. [L. interruptus, p. p.]
   Broken; interrupted. [Obs.] --Milton.
   [1913 Webster]
    

interrupt


   1. [techspeak] n. On a computer, an event that interrupts normal
   processing and temporarily diverts flow-of-control through an
   "interrupt handler" routine. See also {trap}.

   2. interj. A request for attention from a hacker. Often explicitly
   spoken. "Interrupt -- have you seen Joe recently?" See {priority
   interrupt}.
    

interrupt
interrupts

   <programming> 1. An {asynchronous} event that suspends normal
   processing and temporarily diverts the {flow of control}
   through an "{interrupt handler}" routine.

   Interrupts may be caused by both {hardware} (I/O, timer,
   machine check) and {software} (supervisor, {system call} or
   {trap} instruction).

   In general the computer responds to an interrupt by storing
   the information about the current state of the running
   program; storing information to identify the source of the
   interrupt; and invoking a first-level {interrupt handler}.
   This is usually a {kernel} level privileged process that can
   discover the precise cause of the interrupt (e.g. if several
   devices share one interrupt) and what must be done to keep
   operating system tables (such as the process table) updated.
   This first-level handler may then call another handler,
   e.g. one associated with the particular device which generated
   the interrupt.

   2. Under {MS-DOS}, nearly synonymous with "{system call}"
   because the {OS} and {BIOS} routines are both called using the
   INT instruction (see {interrupt list}) and because programmers
   so often have to bypass the operating system (going directly
   to a BIOS interrupt) to get reasonable performance.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1995-02-07)
    

71 Moby Thesaurus words for "interrupt":
      arrest, barge in, blow it, bottle up, break, break in, break in on,
      break off, butt in, cease, check, chime in, chip in, countercheck,
      curb, cut in, cut off, cut short, dam up, damp, dampen, defer,
      delay, detain, disarrange, discontinue, disjoin, disrupt, disturb,
      end, go off half-cocked, halt, hinder, hold back, hold in check,
      hold up, horn in, impede, inhibit, intercept, interfere,
      interfere with, intermeddle, intermit, intervene, intrude,
      keep back, keep in check, meddle, oppose, postpone, punctuate,
      put in, repress, resist, restrain, retard, scotch, set back,
      slacken, snap the thread, snub, speak inopportunely,
      speak too late, stall, stay, stop, suppress, suspend, take a break,
      terminate