▪ I. intermit, v.1
(ɪntəˈmɪt)
[ad. L. intermittĕre to leave off (trans. and intr.), f. inter between + mittĕre to send, let go, put.]
1. trans. To leave off, give over, discontinue (an action, practice, etc.) for a time; to suspend.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 327 note, Occasions of intermitting the writing of letters. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. iii. §2 If nature should intermit her course, and leaue altogether..for a while, the obseruation of her own lawes. 1609 Bible (Douay) Ezek. xlv. 9 Intermitte ye iniquitie and robberies, and doe judgement and justice. 1684–5 Boyle Min. Waters sect. vi. 106 To intermit it sometimes for a year or two,..and then to return to the use of it. 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. II. xxx. 171 The king had seemed willing, during some time, to intermit the blows which overwhelmed him. 1875 M. Pattison Casaubon 464 When seriously urged to intermit his application, and allow himself a holiday. |
† b. To interrupt, cause intermission to (a person or action, or the course of anything). Obs.
| a 1542 [see intermitted]. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1684) III. 614, I had thought to have treated this matter at large, but even now I am intermitted and otherwise letted. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 223 Casual discourse..which intermits Our dayes work. 1704 Hearne Duct. Hist. (1714) I. 386 The consular State..was afterwards retrenched by the Tribunes of the People; then intermitted by the Decemviri, and Military Tribunes. |
† c. To omit, leave out, pass over, let slip. Obs.
| 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 68/1 As touching the line and order of the Roman bishops hitherto intermitted. a 1645 Heywood & Rowley Fort. by Land & Sea iv. i. H.'s Wks. 1874 VI. 412 They that intermit advantages, Must know occasions head is bald behind. 1671 Hobbes Three papers Wks. 1845 VII. 437 Square numbers (beginning at 1) intermit first two numbers, then four, then six [etc.]. 1692 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) II. 676 Orders are sent to the docks to work night and day without intermitting Sunday or holydayes. |
2. intr. To cease or stop for a time († const. from, or inf.); to be intermittent.
| 1571 Hanmer Chron. Irel. (1633) 67 To intermit a while from speaking of these learned men. 1609 Bible (Douay) 1 Kings xv. 21 He intermitted to build Rama. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts 347 He doth not intermit to furnish me continually with his good spirit. 1748 Anson's Voy. i. viii. 87 The winds every now and then intermitted. 1773 Johnson Let. to Boswell 5 July in Boswell, Let me know the exact time when your Courts intermit. 1871 J. R. Nichols Fireside Science 11 A spring which intermits as often as every three minutes. |
b. spec. in Path. of a fever (pain, etc.) or of the pulse.
| 1626 [see intermitting ppl. a.]. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. ii. xi, Physitians are wont..to tell us, That Feavers which intermit are devoid of Danger. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones v. viii, The last application..had brought the fever to intermit. 1796 Burke Regic. Peace i. Wks. VIII. 85 Because the pulse seems to intermit, we must not presume that it will cease instantly to beat. 1872 Darwin Emotions xiii. 340 A man who by continually watching his own pulse, at last caused one beat out of every six to intermit. 1878 E. J. Trelawny Rec. Shelley, etc. (1887) 205 His sadness intermitted, and his cold fits alternated with hot ones. 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. IV. 432 There are instances of the tumour intermitting, that is being prominent at one time and not distinguishable at another. |
▪ II. † intermit, v.2 Obs.
[A re-fashioning of entermete, after L. intermittĕre: see prec.]
1. refl. To concern or occupy oneself, etc.; = entermete 1.
| c 1340 Hampole Prose Tr. 25 Þei intermettid hem with worldely besynes. 1502 Atkinson tr. De Imitatione i. xi. 160 It is one speciall meane to acquyre pease, nat to intermytte vs of the wordes & werkes of those that attayne nat to vs. 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII 49 b, Because Bisshoppes..dyd not..intermit them selves with the serche and punyshment of suche..offences. |
b. intr. = entermete 1 b; = intromit 3.
| 1456 in Sir W. Fraser Wemyss of W. (1888) II. 74 Sene the said Schir Andro intermittit vith the said landis of Inchmertin. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 14 The lorde admiralle..shall [not] in any wise intermitte ne meddle with the liberties of the .v. portes. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen VII 23 [He] never intermitted wyth the affayres of Flaunders. |
2. trans. To interpose, put between; to introduce, admit; = intromit 1.
| c 1540 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden, No. 29) 4 Charles saylyng..with a prosperous winde, intermitting no delaye. 1658 W. Sanderson Graphice 86 A long prospective Trunk..through which, the visible radiations..are intermitted, falling upon a paper. 1676 Hobbes Iliad (1677) 295 As when in war a pause we intermit. |