An interval between two events or dates is the period of time between them.
The ferry service has restarted after an interval of 12 years. [+ of]
There was a long interval of silence.
Synonyms: period, time, spell, term More Synonyms of interval
2. countable noun
An interval during a film, concert, show, or game is a short break between two of the parts.
[mainly British]
During the interval, wine was served.
England were two goals behind at the interval.
regional note: in AM, usually use intermission
Synonyms: break, interlude, intermission, rest More Synonyms of interval
3. countable noun
In music, an interval is the difference in pitch between two musical notes.
[technical]
4.
See at intervals
5.
See at intervals
More Synonyms of interval
interval in British English
(ˈɪntəvəl)
noun
1.
the period of time marked off by or between two events, instants, etc
2.
the distance between two points, objects, etc
3.
a pause or interlude, as between periods of intense activity
4. British
a short period between parts of a play, concert, film, etc; intermission
5. music
the difference of pitch between two notes, either sounded simultaneously (harmonic interval) or in succession as in a musical part (melodic interval). An interval is calculated by counting the (inclusive) number of notes of the diatonic scale between the two notes
the interval between C and G is a fifth
6.
the ratio of the frequencies of two sounds
7. mathematics
the set containing all real numbers or points between two given numbers or points, called the endpoints. A closed interval includes the endpoints, but an open interval does not
8. at intervals
Derived forms
intervallic (ˌɪntəˈvælɪk)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Latin intervallum, literally: space between two palisades, from inter- + vallum palisade, rampart
interval in American English
(ˈɪntərvəl)
noun
1.
a space between two things; gap; distance
2.
a.
a period of time between two events, points of time, etc.; intervening period
b. British
intermission (sense 2)
3.
the extent of difference between two qualities, conditions, etc.
4. US
intervale
5. Ancient Mathematics
the set containing all numbers between two given numbers and including one, both,or neither end point
6. Music
the difference in pitch between two tones
Idioms:
at intervals
Derived forms
intervallic (ˌinterˈvallic) (ˌɪntərˈvælɪk)
adjective
Word origin
ME enterval, intervalle < OFr < L intervallum, lit., space between two palisades or walls < inter-, between + vallum, palisade, wall
interval in the Oil and Gas Industry
(ɪntərvəl)
Word forms: (regular plural) intervals
noun
(Extractive engineering: Field development, Drilling)
An interval is a particular stage in running in casing.
Typically, a well contains multiple intervals of casing successively placed within the previous casing run.
The bottommost interval of casing is usually called the production casing.
An interval is a particular stage in running in casing.
Examples of 'interval' in a sentence
interval
The various classes of boats set off at intervals.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
And only one in five takes notice of the recommended service intervals.
The Sun (2010)
Yet the visitors should have gone in at the interval two goals up.
The Sun (2014)
Then he saw another and then another at shorter intervals.
George MacDonald The Princess and the Curdie (1883)
Do the musical intervals exist in nature or in us?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The actual tune simply shuttles up and down a fifth interval.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Can manufacturers set any intervals they like?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Drink at least four pints daily at two hourly intervals.
Chaitow, Leon The Beat Fatigue Workbook - how to identify the causes (1988)
The intervals gradually get longer until the dog can be left all day.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Shorter intervals are likely to be necessary.
Martin, April The Guide to Lesbian and Gay Parenting (1993)
Should the interval be long or short?
Sidney Sheldon The Other Side of Me
Oh, the joy of a concert without an interval!
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
After the interval, the concert improved.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Service intervals can be as long as two years and there is a 12-year rust warranty.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The South is set for wet intervals between drier spells.
The Sun (2015)
After the interval, finally two of the pupils are allowed to sing.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This was a gig of two halves, divided by a pointlessly long interval.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Only after the interval did the music begin to disturb, and then not in the right way.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
So let me make the most of it, in this short interval before pessimism sets in again.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I thought intervals between services were supposed to be getting longer rather than shorter.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I also had to do two lots of interval training a week.
The Sun (2008)
A ten-minute interval after the fifth set altered the whole complexion of the game.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The service interval on a V8 is just 7,500 miles.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
interval
British English: interval /ˈɪntəvəl/ NOUN
The interval between two events or dates is the period of time between them.
There was a long interval of silence.
American English: interval
Arabic: فَاصِلٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: intervalo
Chinese: 幕间休息
Croatian: interval
Czech: interval
Danish: interval
Dutch: interval
European Spanish: intervalo
Finnish: aikaväli
French: entracte
German: Intervall
Greek: διάλειμμα
Italian: intervallo
Japanese: 間隔
Korean: 간격
Norwegian: intervall
Polish: odstęp
European Portuguese: intervalo
Romanian: interval
Russian: интервал
Latin American Spanish: intervalo
Swedish: intervall
Thai: ช่วงเวลา
Turkish: ara konser, tiyatro
Ukrainian: інтервал
Vietnamese: khoảng thời gian giữa hai sự kiện
All related terms of 'interval'
class interval
one of the intervals into which the range of a variable of a distribution is divided, esp one of the divisions of the base line of a bar chart or histogram
closed interval
an interval on the real line including its end points, as [0, 1], the set of reals between and including 0 and 1
interval scale
a scale of measurement of data according to which the differences between values can be quantified in absolute but not relative terms and for which any zero is merely arbitrary : for instance, dates are measured on an interval scale since differences can be measured in years, but no sense can be given to a ratio of times
interval signal
a characteristic snatch of music, chimes , etc, transmitted as an identifying signal by a radio station between programme items
augmented interval
an interval that is a half step greater than the corresponding major or perfect interval
contour interval
the difference in altitude represented by the space between two contour lines on a map
interval estimate
an interval within which the true value of a parameter of a population is stated to lie with a predetermined probability on the basis of sampling statistics
interval training
a method of athletic training using alternate sprinting and jogging
lunitidal interval
the difference in time between the moon crossing a meridian and the following high tide at that meridian
confidence interval
an interval of values bounded by confidence limits within which the true value of a population parameter is stated to lie with a specified probability