What does "interrupt" mean?

1. (to stop someone speaking) to start talking while someone else is already speaking, which often makes them stop. 2. (to break a process or view) to stop an activity for a short time or to break up a long, flat surface or view. 3. (to signal a computer) to send a signal to a computer that it needs to stop its current task to deal with something else. 4. (a computer signal) a signal that tells a computer to stop what it is doing and look at a new task.

How do you use "interrupt"?

Often used with 'to' when referring to the person being stopped. The verb is transitive and takes the computer or processor as its object.

interrupt

v. · n.

US //ˌɪntɝˈəpt// UK //ˈɪntəɹˌʌpt// in·ter·rupt

1 to stop someone speaking (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to start talking while someone else is already speaking, which often makes them stop.

to break the continuity of a person's speech or action by speaking or interfering suddenly.

Example

I am sorry to interrupt, but there is a phone call for you.

Example

The junior analyst repeatedly interrupted the presentation to ask for clarification on the data sets, much to the frustration of the senior partners.

Usage

Often used with 'to' when referring to the person being stopped.
- cut in
- interject
- butt in
2 to break a process or view (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to stop an activity for a short time or to break up a long, flat surface or view.

to cause a temporary halt in a process or to break the continuity or monotony of a physical space.

Example

A series of loud bangs interrupted my sleep last night.

Example

The vast, flat landscape was interrupted only by a few scattered farmhouses and the occasional cluster of ancient oak trees.
- continue
- resume

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3 to signal a computer (v.)
C1 Advanced Technical Computing

to send a signal to a computer that it needs to stop its current task to deal with something else.

to trigger a signal that causes the central processing unit to suspend its current execution to handle a specific event.

Example

The system will interrupt the main program if the printer runs out of paper.

Example

The peripheral device is configured to interrupt the processor whenever a new packet of data is ready for transfer.

Usage

The verb is transitive and takes the computer or processor as its object.
4 a computer signal (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Computing

a signal that tells a computer to stop what it is doing and look at a new task.

a signal to the processor emitted by hardware or software indicating an event that needs immediate attention.

Example

The computer received an interrupt from the keyboard when I pressed a key.

Example

High-priority interrupts can cause significant latency in background processes if the handler is not optimized for speed.
- signal
- trigger

Origin

From Middle English interrupten, derived from Latin interruptus, past participle of interrumpere (“to break apart/off, interrupt”), from inter (“between”) + rumpere (“to break”).

Word family

Verbinterrupt
Nouninterruption