Ĭn'ter-pōse'1, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. INTERPOSED; p. pr. & vb. n. INTERPOSING.] [Fr. interposer, Lat. interponere, interpositum. See INTERPONE.]
- To place between; as, to interpose a body between the sun and the earth.
- To thrust in; to intrude, as an obstruction, interruption, or inconvenience.
What watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes and night? Shak.
Sense 3. To offer, as aid or services, for relief or the adjustment of differences.
The common Father of mankind seasonably interposed his hand, and rescued miserable man. Woodward.
Synonyms— To intervene; intercede; mediate; interfere; intermeddle. — To INTERPOSE, INTERMEDDLE, INTERFERE. A man may often interpose with propriety in the concerns of others; he can never intermeddle without being impertinent or officious; nor can he interfere without being liable to the same charge, unless he has rights which are interfered with. “In our practical use, interference is something offensive. It is the pushing in of himself between two parties on the part of a third who was not asked, and is not thanked for his pains, and who, as the feeling of the word implies, had no business there; while interposition is employed to express the friendly, peacemaking mediation of one whom the act well became, and who, even if he was not specially invited thereunto, is still thanked for what he has done. How real an increase is it in the wealth and capabilities of a language thus to have discriminated such words as these, and to be able to express acts outwardly the same by different words, as we would praise or blame them!” Trench.