interrupt

To interrupt someone is to interfere in their activity, disrupt their conversation, or to disturb their peace and quiet.

Imagine you're watching reruns of Jeopardy! and your mom interrupts you, threatening to turn off the TV unless you take the trash out. Then your brother interrupts your peace and quiet by shouting answers — wrong answers — at the TV. A special weather bulletin then interrupts your "regularly scheduled program" with a severe thunderstorm warning. And, to complete the job, lightning causes an interrupt (now used as a noun) in the power grid and your electricity goes off.

Primary Meanings of interrupt

1.
 vn
make a break in
a signal that temporarily stops the execution of a program so that another procedure can be carried out
2.
 v
terminate
Full Definitions of interrupt
1

v make a break in

“We interrupt the program for the following messages”
Synonyms:
break up, cut off, disrupt
Types:
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cut, cut off
cease, stop
punctuate
interrupt periodically
break
interrupt the flow of current in
put aside, put away
turn away from and put aside, perhaps temporarily
break, intermit, pause
cease an action temporarily
barge in, break in, butt in, chime in, chisel in, cut in, put in
break into a conversation
burst in on, burst upon
spring suddenly
heckle
challenge aggressively
come in, inject, interject, interpose, put in, throw in
to insert between other elements
block, jam
interfere with or prevent the reception of signals
stop, stop over
interrupt a trip
take off, take time off
take time off from work; stop working temporarily
disrupt
interfere in someone else's activity
breathe, catch one's breath, rest, take a breather
take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
take five
take a break for five minutes
take ten
take a ten minute break
barrage jam
jam an entire frequency spectrum
point jam
jam a narrow band of frequencies
spot jam
jam a single frequency
blanket jam
jam a broad spectrum of frequencies to affect all communications in the area except for directional antenna communications
call
make a stop in a harbour
lay over, stop over
interrupt a journey temporarily, e.g., overnight
Type of:
break, break off, discontinue, stop
prevent completion

v destroy the peace or tranquility of

“Don't interrupt me when I'm reading”
Synonyms:
disturb
Type of:
act, move
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

v interfere in someone else's activity

“Please don't interrupt me while I'm on the phone”
Synonyms:
disrupt
Types:
cut in
interrupt a dancing couple in order to take one of them as one's own partner
cut short
cause to end earlier than intended
Type of:
barge in, break in, butt in, chime in, chisel in, cut in, put in
break into a conversation

n a signal that temporarily stops the execution of a program so that another procedure can be carried out

Type of:
signal
an electric quantity (voltage or current or field strength) whose modulation represents coded information about the source from which it comes
2

v terminate

“She interrupted her pregnancy”
Synonyms:
break
Types:
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hold on, stop
stop and wait, as if awaiting further instructions or developments
break off, break short, cut short
interrupt before its natural or planned end
freeze, suspend
stop a process or a habit by imposing a freeze on it
hang up
interrupt a telephone conversation
Type of:
end, terminate
bring to an end or halt

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