Word.ws English Dictionary

interposing

interposing is the present participle and gerund of interpose.

Meaning of interpose

Verb

interpose (third-person singular simple present interposes, present participle interposing, simple past and past participle interposed)

  1. (transitive) To insert something (or oneself) between other things.
    • to interpose a screen between the eye and the light
    Synonyms:
    insert
  2. (transitive) To interrupt a conversation by introducing a different subject or making a comment.
    • As one who in his journey bates at Noone,
      Though bent on speed, so her the Archangel paused
      Betwixt the world destroyed and world restored,
      If Adam aught perhaps might interpose;
      Then with transition sweet new Speech resumes.1667, John Milton, “Book XII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
    Synonyms:
    interrupt
  3. (transitive) To offer (one's help or services).
  4. (intransitive) To be inserted between parts or things; to come between.
    • Suppose, unlook’d for in a scene so rude,
      Long hid by interposing hill or wood,
      Some mansion neat and elegantly dress’d,
      By some kind hospitable heart possess’d
      Offer him warmth, security and rest;1781 (date written), William Cowper, “Truth”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1782, →OCLC
  5. (intransitive) To intervene in a dispute, or in a conversation.
    • The doctor now interposed, and prevented the effects of a wrath which was kindling between Jones and Thwackum […]1749, Henry Fielding, chapter IX, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book V

Words formed from interposing

Questions about interposing

What is interposing the present participle and gerund of?
Interposing is the present participle and gerund of interpose.

Words near interposing in the dictionary

  1. interposer
  2. interposers
  3. interposes
  4. interposest
  5. interposeth
  6. interposing
  7. interposingly
  8. interposit
  9. interposition
  10. interpositional
  11. interpositioned

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: interposing (page history and authors); interpose (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this entry: “interposing.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/interposing. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.