Intermeddle

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˌɪntəˈmÉ›d(É™)l/
• US IPA: /ˌɪntɚˈmÉ›dÉ™l/
• Rhymes: -É›dÉ™l

Origin

From Anglo-Norman entremedler (= Old French entremesler), from inter- + medler.

Full definition of intermeddle

Verb

1. (obsolete, transitive) To mix, mingle together. 14th-18th c.
• 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XVII:he felte a breeth that hym thought hit was entromedled with fyre, which smote hym so sore in the vysage that hym thought hit brente hys vysage ....
2. (obsolete, reflexive) To get mixed up (with). 15th-17th c.
• 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.29:Amongst our other disputation, that of Fatum, hath much entermedled it selfe ....
3. (intransitive) To butt in, to interfere in or with. from 15th c.
• Francis BaconThe practice of Spain hath been, by war and by conditions of treaty, to intermeddle with foreign states.
• 1749, Henry Fielding, , Book I, ch 2:I must desire all those critics to mind their own business, and not to intermeddle with affairs or works which no ways concern them; for till they produce the authority by which they are constituted judges, I shall not plead to their jurisdiction.

Synonyms

• butt in, meddle