v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Intermitted p. pr. & vb. n. Intermitting. ] [ L. intermittere; inter between + mittere, missum, to send: cf. OE. entremeten to busy (one's self) with, F. s'entremettre. See Missile. ] To cause to cease for a time, or at intervals; to interrupt; to suspend. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pray to the gods to intermit the plague. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To cease for a time or at intervals; to moderate; to be intermittent, as a fever. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. intermittence. ] Act or state of intermitting; intermission. Tyndall. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. intermittens, -entis, p. pr. of intermittere: cf. F. intermittent. ] Coming and going at intervals; alternating; recurrent; periodic; as, an intermittent fever. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Intermittent fever (Med.), a disease with fever which recurs at certain intervals; -- applied particularly to fever and ague. See Fever. --
Intermittent gearing (Mach.), gearing which receives, or produces, intermittent motion. --
Intermittent springs, springs which flow at intervals, not apparently dependent upon rain or drought. They probably owe their intermittent action to their being connected with natural reservoirs in hills or mountains by passages having the form of a siphon, the water beginning to flow when it has accumulated so as to fill the upper part of the siphon, and ceasing when, by running through it, it has fallen below the orifice of the upper part of the siphon in the reservoir. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) An intermittent fever or disease. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With intermissions; in an intermittent manner; intermittingly. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With intermissions; at intervals. W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]