ALL meanings of interrupt
in·ter·rupt
I i - noun Technical meaning of interrupt (programming) 1. An asynchronous event that suspends normal processing and temporarily diverts the flow of control through an "interrupt handler" routine. Interrupts may be caused by both hardware (I/O, timer, machine check) and software (supervisor, system call or trap instruction). In general the computer responds to an interrupt by storing the information about the current state of the running program; storing information to identify the source of the interrupt; and invoking a first-level interrupt handler. This is usually a kernel level privileged process that can discover the precise cause of the interrupt (e.g. if several devices share one interrupt) and what must be done to keep operating system tables (such as the process table) updated. This first-level handler may then call another handler, e.g. one associated with the particular device which generated the interrupt. 2. Under MS-DOS, nearly synonymous with "system call" because the OS and BIOS routines are both called using the INT instruction (see interrupt list) and because programmers so often have to bypass the operating system (going directly to a BIOS interrupt) to get reasonable performance. 1
- noun interrupt Stop the continuous progress of (an activity or process). 1
- verb with object interrupt to cause or make a break in the continuity or uniformity of (a course, process, condition, etc.). 1
- verb with object interrupt to break off or cause to cease, as in the middle of something: He interrupted his work to answer the bell. 1
- verb with object interrupt to stop (a person) in the midst of doing or saying something, especially by an interjected remark: May I interrupt you to comment on your last remark? 1
- verb without object interrupt to cause a break or discontinuance; interfere with action or speech, especially by interjecting a remark: Please don't interrupt. 1
- noun interrupt Computers. a hardware signal that breaks the flow of program execution and transfers control to a predetermined storage location so that another procedure can be followed or a new operation carried out. 1
- transitive verb interrupt cut off: person speaking 1
- transitive verb interrupt cut off, create a break in 1
- transitive verb interrupt disrupt 1
- verb interrupt If you interrupt someone who is speaking, you say or do something that causes them to stop. 0
- verb interrupt If someone or something interrupts a process or activity, they stop it for a period of time. 0
- verb interrupt If something interrupts a line, surface, or view, it stops it from being continuous or makes it look irregular. 0
- verb interrupt to break the continuity of (an action, event, etc) or hinder (a person) by intrusion 0
- verb interrupt to cease to perform (some action) 0
- verb interrupt to obstruct (a view) 0
- verb interrupt to prevent or disturb (a conversation, discussion, etc) by questions, interjections, or comment 0
- noun interrupt the signal to initiate the stopping of the running of one computer program in order to run another, after which the running of the original program is usually continued 0
- verb transitive interrupt to break into or in upon (a discussion, train of thought, etc.) 0
- verb transitive interrupt to break in upon (a person) who is speaking, working, etc.; stop or hinder 0
- verb transitive interrupt to make a break in the continuity of; cut off; obstruct 0
- intransitive verb interrupt to make an interruption, esp. in another's speech, action, etc. 0
- noun interrupt (computing) An event that causes a computer to temporarily cease what it was doing and attend to a condition. 0
- verb interrupt To disturb or halt an ongoing process or action by interfering suddenly. 0
- verb interrupt To divide; to separate; to break the monotony of. 0
- verb interrupt (computing) To assert to a computer that an exceptional condition must be handled. 0