intermezzo 
introduced between the acts of a tragedy, com- 
edy, or grand opera; later, a ballet divertisse- 
ment introduced in like manner. 
The theatre itself came to supplement its waning attrac- 
tions by every species of illegitimate intermezzo. 
A. W. Ward, Bug. Dram. Lit., I. 10. 
2. in music: (a) A short musical work of light 
character inserted between the acts of a serious 
drama or opera ; a burlesque or comedy. The 
intermezzo was the germ of the opera bouffe or 
comic opera. (6) A short composition, with- 
out any definite musical form, introduced in 
an extended musical work, or a piece composed 
in a similar style. 
intermicatet (iu-ter-mi'kat), y. t. [< L. inter- 
micatus, pp. of intermicare, glitter among, < in- 
ter, between, among, + micare, glitter, shine: 
see mica.'] To shine between or among. Blount. 
intermicationt (in // ter-mi-ka'shon), . [< in- 
termicate + -ion.} A shining between or among. 
Bailey. 
intermigration (in"ter-mi-gra'shon), n. ^in- 
ter- + migration.'] Reciprocal migration; ex- 
change of persons or populations between dis- 
tricts or countries. 
Nay, let us look upon men in several climates, though in 
the same continent, we shall see a strange variety among 
them in colour, figure, stature, complexion, humour ; and 
all arising from the difference of the climate, though the 
continent be but one, as to point of access and mutual in- 
tercourse, and possibility of intermigrations. 
Sir M. Hale, Orig. of Mankind, p. 200. 
interminable (in-ter'mi-na-bl), a. [= F. inter- 
minable = Sp. interminable = Pg. interminavel 
= It. interminabile, < LL. interminabilis, endless, 
< in- priv. + "terminabilis, terminable: see ter- 
minable,'] Without termination; endless; hav- 
ing no limits or limitation; unending; long 
drawn out : as, interminable space or duration ; 
interminable sufferings. 
As if they would confine the Interminable, 
And tie him to his own prescript, 
Who made our laws to bind us, not himself. 
Milton, 8. A., L 807. 
The word 
That, finding an interminable space 
Unoccupied, has filled the void so well. 
Cowper, Task. v. 656. 
=Syn. Limitless, illimitable. 
interminableness (in-ter'mi-na-bl-nes), n. The 
state of being interminable ; endlessness. 
The interminableness of those torments which after this 
life shall incessantly vex the impious. 
Annotations on Qlanmtte, etc. (1682), p. 59. 
interminably (in-ter'mi-na-bli), adv. In an in- 
terminable manner or extent ; endlessly. 
interminate 1 (in-t6r'mi-nat), a. [= OP. inter- 
mine = It. interminato, < L. interminatns, un- 
bounded, < in- priv. + terminatus, bounded: see 
terminate, a.] Not terminated; unbounded; 
unlimited; endless. 
Within a thicket I reposde ; when round 
I ruffled vp falne leaues in heape, and found 
(Let fall from heauen) a sleepe interminate. 
Chapman, Odyssey, vii. 
The Epicurean hypothesis admits not of such an inter- 
minate division of matter, but will have it stop at certain 
solid corpuscles, which, for their not being further divisi- 
ble, are called atoms, aro^oi. Boyle, Works, III. 661. 
Interminate decimal, a decimal conceived as carried 
to an infinity of places : thus, the decimal .010010001 +, 
where the number of ciphers between successive ones is 
conceived to increase in arithmetical progression to in- 
finity, is an interminate decimal. 
interminate 2 ! (in-ter'mi-nat), v. t. [< L. inter- 
minat-us, pp. of interminari, also interminare, 
threaten, < inter, between, + minari, threaten : 
see menace.'} To menace. 
Enough, enough of these interminated judgements 
wherewith ... I might strike your hearts with just hor- 
Bp. Bail, Remains, p. 163. 
interminationt (in"ter-mi-na'shon), n. [< LL. 
interminatto(n-), < L. interminari, i threaten : see 
interminate^.] A menace or threat. 
It were strange that it should be possible for all men to 
keep the commandments, and required and exacted of all 
men with the interminatian or threatening of horrid pains 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), II. 43o! 
intermine (m-ter-mln'), v. t. ; pret. and pp. in- 
termined, ppr. intermining. [< inter- + mine*.] 
To intersect or penetrate with mines. 
Her large oaks so long green, as summer there her bowers 
Had set up all the year, her air for health refln'd 
Her earth with allom veins so richly intermin'd. 
Drayton, Polyolbion, xxviii. 344. 
intermingle (in-ter-ming'gl), v. ; pret. and pp. 
intermingled, ppr. tnter mingling. [< inter- + 
mingle.'] I. trans. To mingle or mix together ; 
mix up ; intermix. 
I'll intermingle everything he does 
With Cassio's suit. Shak., Othello, Hi. 3, 25. 
3148 
II, intrans. To be mixed or incorporated. 
They will not admit any good part to intermimjle with 
them. Shak., Much Ado, v. 2. 64. 
So sportive is the light 
Shot through the boughs, it dances as they dance, 
Shadow and sunshine, intermingling quick. 
Cowper, Task, i. 347. 
intermingledom (in-ter-ming'gl-dum), n. [< 
intermingle + -dom.] Something which inter- 
mingles. [Humorous.] 
The case is filled with bits and ends to ribbons, pat- 
terns, and so forth, of all manner of colours, faded and 
fresh ; with intermingledoms of gold-beater's skin plasters 
for a cut finger. 
Richardson, Sir Charles Grandison, VI. 184. 
interministerium (in-ter-min-is-te'ri-um), n. 
[Formed after the analogy of interregnum; < 
L. inter, between, + ministeriiim, ministry : see 
ministry.] The period between the dissolution 
of one ministerial government and the forma- 
tion of another. [Bare.] 
The regency are so temporizing and timid, especially in 
this interministerium, that I am in great apprehension of 
our having the plague. Walpole, To Mann, July 31, 1743. 
intermiset (in'ter-miz), n. [< F. entremise, in- 
tervention, interference, < entremettre, pp. en- 
tremis, intervene : see intermit.] Interference ; 
interposition. Bacon. 
intermisst, n. [< L. intermissus, an intermis- 
sion^ intermittere, pp. intermissus, intermit: see 
intermit.] Intermission. 
In which short intermiss the King relapseth to his for- 
mer errour. E. Fannant, Hist. Edw. II. (1680X p. 94. 
intermission (in-ter-mish'on), n. [= F. inter- 
mission = Pr. intermissio = Sp. intermision = 
Pg. intermixsao = It. intermissione, < L. inter- 
missio(n-), a breaking off, interruption, inter- 
mission, < intermittere, pp. intermissus, break 
off: see intermit.] 1. The act of intermitting, 
or the state of being intermitted; temporary 
cessation; pause: as, to labor without inter- 
mission ; intermission of the pulse. 
Thou hast no intermission of thy sins, 
But all thy life is a continued ill. 
Beau, and Fl., Maid's Tragedy, v. 4. 
The spirit of man cannot demean it selfe lively in this 
body without some recreating intermission of labour, and 
serious things. Milton, Church-Government, Pref., ii. 
2. In med., the temporary cessation or subsi- 
dence of a disease, as fever ; interval between 
paroxysms. Intermission is an entire cessation, as dis- 
tinguished from remission or abatement of fever. 
3. Period of cessation ; an intervening time ; 
interval ; specifically, recess at school. 
But, gentle heavens, 
Cut short all intermission; front to front 
Bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself. 
Shak., Macbeth, iv. 3, 232. 
Times have changed since the jackets and trousers used 
to draw up on one side of the road, and the petticoats on 
the other, to salute with bow and courtesy the white 
neckcloth of the parson or the squire, if it chanced to pass 
during intermission. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 2d ser.. p. 242. 
4f. Interference. 
No other . . . towns, whom those Countries did no 
way concern, shall in any part meddle byway of friendly 
intennission tending to an accord. 
Heylin, Hist. Presbyterians, p. 126. 
= Syn. 1 and 3. Rest, Suspension, etc. (see stop, n.\ inter- 
val, interruption, respite. 
intermissive (in-ter-mis'iv), a. [< L. intermis- 
sus, pp. of intermittere, intermit, + -ive.] In- 
termitting; coming by fits or after temporary 
cessations; not continuous. 
Wounds will I lend the French, instead of eyes, 
To weep their intermissive miseries. 
Shak., 1 Hen. VI., L 1, 88. 
Make pleasure thy recreation or intermissive relaxation, 
not thy Diana, life, and profession. 
Sir T. Browne, Christ. Mor., iii. 23. 
intermit (in-ter-mif), v. ; pret. and pp. inter- 
mitted, ppr. intermitting. [< ME. intermetten, 
entermeten, < OF. entremettre, intremettre, F. en- 
tremettre = Pr. entremetre = It. intermettere, < 
L. intermittere, pp. intermissus, leave off, break 
off, interrupt, omit, leave an interval, cease, 
pause, (inter, between, + mittere,senA: see mis- 
sion. Cf. amifi, admit, commit, omit, etc.] I. 
trans. 1 . To put a temporary stop to ; suspend 
or delay ; interrupt : as, to intermit one's efforts. 
Yet once againe, my muse, I pardon pray, 
Thine intermitted song if I repeate. 
Wyatt, Death of the Countesse of Pembroke. 
If nature should intermit her course, and leave alto- 
gether, though it were but for a while, the observation of 
her own laws, . . . what would become of man himself? 
Hooker, Eccles. Polity, i. 3. 
Thou intermittest not 
Thine everlasting journey. 
Bryant, River by Night. 
2f. To omit; pass by or over; neglect. 
intermixedly 
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague 
That ueeds must light on this ingratitude. 
Shak., J. C., i. 1, 59. 
Wer't your case, 
You being young as I am, would you intermit 
So fair and sweet occasion ? 
Webster and Rowley, Cure lor a Cuckold, v. 1. 
II. intrans. To cease or break off for a time ; 
come to a temporary stop ; stop or pause at in- 
tervals : as, a spring that intermits once in three 
minutes ; an intermitting pulse. 
Why intermete, of what thou hast to done? 
Cartwright, Ordinary, iv. 2. 
That power [of self -dislocation] by which a sequence of 
words that naturally is directly consecutive commences, 
intermits, and reappears at a remote part of the sentence. 
De Quincey, Rhetoric. 
=Syn. Subside, etc. See abatf,. 
intermittence (in-ter-mit'ens), n. [< intermit- 
ten(t) + -ce.] The state or condition of being 
intermittent ; intermitting character or quality : 
as, the intermittence of a fever, or of a spring. 
The intermittence [of the heart] continued until the end 
of the voyage. B. W. Richardson, Prevent. Med., p. 471. 
intermittency (iu-ter-mit'en-si), . Same as 
intermittence. 
Thirteen [tobacco-users] had intermittency of the pulse. 
Science, XII. 223. 
intermittent (in-ter-mit'ent), a. and n. [= F. 
intermittent = Sp. intermitente = Pg. It. inter- 
mittente, < L. intermitten(t-)s, ppr. of intermit- 
tere, leave off, cease, pause : see intermit.] I. 
a. Ceasing at intervals ; that alternately stops 
and starts; intermitting: as, an intermittent fe- 
ver ; an intermittent spring. 
As to me, I was always steadily of opinion that this dis- 
order was not in its nature intermittent. 
Burke, A Regicide Peace, ii. 
Good water is spoiled and bad water rendered worse by 
the intermittent system of supply. 
E. Frankland, Exper. in Chemistry, p. 557. 
Intermittent current. See electric current, under cur- 
renti . Intermittent earth, fever, etc. See the nouns. 
Intermittent gear, any arrangement of geared wheels, 
as a mutilated gear, or a cog-wheel with a part of the 
cogs left out, or a rack, pinion, segment, or cam, devised 
to produce a regular pause or change of speed in the mo- 
tion of any machine, as in many printing-presses, motors, 
counters, etc. ; an intermittent wheel. Intermittent or 
Intermitting spring, a spring which flows lor a time 
and then ceases, again begins to flow after an interval, and 
again ceases, and so on. Such alternations may depend 
directly on the rainfall; but the name of intermittent 
spring is more properly applied to a spring whose periods 
of flowing are pretty regular, and are determined by the 
fact that the water is conveyed from a reservoir in the 
interior of a hill or rising ground by a siphon-shaped 
channel which is able to discharge a greater quantity of 
water than the reservoir regularly receives. When the 
cavity is filled till the surface of the water is as high as 
the bend of the siphon, the water begins and continues 
to How till it sinks as low as the inner aperture of the 
siphon, whereupon the outflow ceases till the water is 
again as high as the bend of the siphon, and so on. In- 
termittent wheel, a general name for all kinds of es- 
cape-wheels, counting-wheels in registers and meters, 
stop-motions In watches, clocks, etc. 
II. n. [L. febris intermitten(t-)s, an inter- 
mittent fever.] Intermittent fever. 
The symptoms of intermittent are those of a decided 
and completely marked " cold stage." After this occurs 
the " hot stage." Dungliion. 
intermittently (in-ter-mit'ent-li), adv. In an 
intermittent manner; by alternate stops and 
starts. 
intermitting (in-ter-mit'ing), p. a. Ceasing for 
a time ; stopping or pausing at intervals. 
The vast intervals between the local points from which 
the intermitting voice ascends proclaim the storm-like 
pace at which he travels. De Quincey, Style, ii. 
Intermitting spring. See intermittent. 
intermittingly (in-ter-mit'ing-li), adv. In an 
intermitting manner; with intermissions; at 
intervals. 
intermix (in-ter-miks'), v. [< inter- + mix, after 
L. intermiscere, mix among, < inter, between, 
+ miscere, mix.] I. trans. To mix together; 
intermingle. 
They sing praises unto God, which they intermix with 
instruments of music. 
Sir T. More, Utopia (tr. by Robinson), ii. 11. 
He doth ever intermix the correction and amendment 
of his mind with the use and employment thereof. 
Bacon, Advancement of Learning, i. 97. 
II. intrans. To be mixed together; become 
intermingled. 
intermix (in'ter-miks), n. [< intermix, v.] An 
intermixing or intermixture. [Rare.] 
Just so are the actions or dispositions of the soul, angry 
or pleasant, lustful or cold, querulous or passionate, ac- 
cording as the body is disposed by the various intermixes 
of natural qualities. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 41. 
intermixedly (in-ter-mik'sed-li), adv. In an 
intermixed manner; with intermixture ; indis- 
criminately. Locke. 
