interference

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   in American football, blocking a player's path with your body

   They were running interference for the quarterback all day.

2. 2
   noun

   The act of interfering with something, or something that interferes.

   Somewhat impeded by constant political interference of one sort or another, British Railways are nevertheless pressing ahead with a mammoth modernisation programme; [...]

3. 3
   noun

   The illegal obstruction of an opponent in some ball games.

   They were glued to the TV, as the referee called out a fifteen yard penalty for interference.

4. 4
   noun

   A distortion on a broadcast signal due to atmospheric or other effects.

   They wanted to watch the game on TV, but there was too much interference to even make out the score on the tiny screen.

5. 5
   verb

   To interfere.

   In economic terms, the two production processes can be simultaneously implemented without interferencing between themselves.

6. 6
   noun

   the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding

7. 7
   noun

   any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome

8. 8
   noun

   a policy of intervening in the affairs of other countries

Etymology

From interfere + -ence. The sense in physics was likely introduced by English polymath Thomas Young, which he used as early as 1801 in a paper in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.