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to intermit

to intermit

8.9
To stop for a short time and then start again
  • verb
  • /ˌɪntərˈmɪt/
translation icon : interrumpir
  • Please intermit for a moment!

Examples

  • Rain would intermit throughout the afternoon, never stopping for long.

  • If your symptoms intermit, it's important to still see a doctor.

  • The speaker chose to intermit her lecture for a brief break.

  • The rain will intermit throughout the day.

  • The rain will intermit for a few hours, allowing us to go outside.

  • Please intermit the movie at the midway point so we can take a break.

  • They decided to intermit their discussion until after lunch.

Synonyms

to break
vsto intermit
1.0

To stop an activity or end a habit

stops briefly without ending the activity
to interrupt
vsto intermit
909 2.5

To stop someone speaking or an activity

stops briefly as a planned halt rather than breaking continuity
to take a break
vsto intermit
496 1.4

To stop doing something for a short time to rest or relax before continuing

stops briefly without implying rest or relaxation
to pause
vsto intermit
346 1.0

Stop for a short time before continuing

is the same brief stop but expressed in a different form

Antonyms

1.0

To keep doing something without stopping

How Interrupted

to terminate
147 4.6
stop
310 1.0
to suspend
141 3.9
to intermit
8.9
to pause
346 1.0

Surface Forms

intermit infinitive
intermitted past participle
intermitting present participle
intermits third person singular

Morphology

intermit = inter + mit

Although the form suggests the prefix 'inter-' + root 'mit', 'mit' is not a standalone English word (a Latin combining form), so learners cannot reliably derive the meaning from its parts.

Etymology

Intermit comes from old Latin parts inter- ('between') and mittere ('to send'), the same mit you see in transmit. Think of 'sending' something 'between' and pausing in the middle—so to intermit is to stop or pause for a short time before you continue.