Intercept

/ɪntəˈsɛpt/ · verb

Meaning

(transitive) To stop, deflect or divert (something in progress or motion)..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To stop, deflect or divert (something in progress or motion).
2. (transitive, sports) To gain possession of (the ball) in a ball game.
3. (transitive, mathematics) To take or comprehend between.
4. To perform an aeronautical action in which a fighter approaches a suspicious aircraft to escort it away from a prohibited area, or approaches an enemy aircraft to shoot it down.
5. An interception of a radio broadcast or a telephone call.
6. An interception of a missile.
7. (algebraic geometry) The coordinate of the point at which a curve intersects an axis.
8. (marketing) A form of market research where consumers are intercepted and interviewed in a retail store or mall.

Example Sentences

The police intercepted the package of stolen goods while it was in transit.

[T]he emotion grew ſo violent that it almost intercepted my reſpiration.

The rights of men in ſociety, are neither deviſeable, nor transferable, nor annihilable, but are deſcendable only; and it is not in the power of any generation to intercept finally, and cut off the deſcent.

I must admit to being genuinely shocked when I saw those letters in my file. I always suspected that mail was monitored, but it never occurred to me that mail would be intercepted and opened.

the y intercept

Because the horizontal-axis intercept occurs when y=0 and the vertical-axis intercept occurs when x=0, we can find the intercepts algebraically.

Synonyms for intercept

Antonyms for intercept

Related Words

Word Forms

• intercepts
• intercepting
• intercepted
• no-table-tags
• glossary
• intercept
• interceptest
• interceptedst
• intercepteth
• -

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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