interfere vs intervene

in·ter·fere verb /ˌintərˈfi(ə)r/  interfered, past participle; interfered, past tense; interferes, 3rd person singular present; interfering, present participle Prevent (a process or activity) from continuing or being carried out properly - a job would interfere with his studies (of a thing) Strike against (something) when working; get in the way of - the rotors are widely separated and do not interfere with one another Handle or adjust (something) without permission, esp. so as to cause damage - he admitted interfering with a van Attempt to bribe or intimidate (a witness) Take part or intervene in an activity without invitation or necessity - she tried not to interfere in her children's lives (of light or other electromagnetic waveforms) Mutually act upon each other and produce interference - light pulses interfere constructively in a fiber to emit a pulse Cause interference to a broadcast radio signal Sexually molest or assault (someone, esp. a child or young person) (used euphemistically) (of a horse) Knock one foot against the fetlock of another leg in·ter·vene verb /ˌintərˈvēn/  intervened, past participle; intervened, past tense; intervenes, 3rd person singular present; intervening, present participle Come between so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events - he acted outside his authority when he intervened in the dispute - their forces intervened to halt the attack (of an event or circumstance) Occur as a delay or obstacle to something being done - Christmas intervened, and the investigation was suspended Interrupt verbally - “It's true!” he intervened Interpose in a lawsuit as a third party Occur in time between events - to occupy the intervening months, she took a job in a hospital Be situated between things - they heard the sound of distant gunfire, muffled by the intervening trees DONT INTERFERE just intervene