intermission

n. [ L. intermissio: cf. F. intermission. See Intermit. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act or the state of intermitting; the state of being neglected or disused; disuse; discontinuance. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Cessation for a time; an intervening period of time; an interval; a temporary pause; as, to labor without intermission; an intermission of ten minutes. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rest or intermission none I find. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Specifically: The short period between acts of a play, concert, opera, or other public performance when the audience may leave their seats for refreshment; -- it usually lasts from 10 to 20 minutes. [ PJC ]

4. (Med.) The temporary cessation or subsidence of a fever; the space of time between the paroxysms of a disease. Intermission is an entire cessation, as distinguished from remission, or abatement of fever. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Intervention; interposition. [ Obs. ] Heylin.

Syn. -- Cessation; interruption; interval; pause; stop; rest; suspension. See Cessation. [ 1913 Webster ]