Meaning & use
the interval
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Meanings
nouncountable
A period of time between two events or activities.
Grammar: Often used with 'at intervals' or 'in the interval between'.
Patterns
- at regular intervals
- the interval between something and something
- in the interval
There is a short interval between the two classes.
The buses run at regular intervals throughout the day.
We waited for the interval between the rain showers to go out.
nouncountableBritish
A short break in the middle of a play, concert, or other performance.
Grammar: Usually used with 'the' in British English: 'during the interval'.
Patterns
- during the interval
- in the interval
- after the interval
We had a drink during the interval.
The interval lasted twenty minutes.
She went backstage in the interval to meet the actors.
nouncountablemusictechnical
A space or difference in pitch between two musical notes.
Grammar: Used in music theory to talk about the distance between notes.
Patterns
- a musical interval
- an interval of a third
- the interval between two notes
The song uses a large interval between the first two notes.
He explained how to recognize different intervals by ear.
Word forms
| plural | intervals |
|---|
Common combinations
- at regular intervals
- Take this medicine at regular intervals.
- during the interval
- We chatted during the interval.
- a short interval
- There was a short interval before the next train.
- musical interval
- A musical interval is the distance between two notes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- intermission
- The American English word for the break in a performance; 'interval' is more common in British English.
- gap
- A more general word for a space or period between things; 'interval' is often more formal or regular.
- pause
- A short stop in an activity; 'interval' is usually a planned break between two parts.
Word family
- interval adjective
- Used in phrases like 'interval training' (exercise with alternating periods of work and rest).
Commonly confused: the interval or intermission?
the interval vs intermission
Both mean a break in a performance, but 'intermission' is the usual American word, while 'interval' is the usual British word.
Practice
In British English, what do you call the break in the middle of a play?
Choose one answer.
In British English, 'the interval' is the standard term for the break in a performance. 'Intermission' is American, 'interruption' means a disruption, and 'interlude' is a short piece of music or a brief period.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “the interval”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.