INTRUDE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does intrude mean? 

• INTRUDE (verb)
  The verb INTRUDE has 4 senses:

1. enter uninvited

2. enter unlawfully on someone's property

3. search or inquire in a meddlesome way

4. thrust oneself in as if by force

  Familiarity information: INTRUDE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INTRUDE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they intrude    ... he / she / it intrudes   
Past simple: intruded   
Past participle: intruded   
-ing form: intruding   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Enter uninvited

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

intrude; irrupt

Context example:

She irrupted into our sitting room

Hypernyms (to "intrude" is one way to...):

come in; enter; get in; get into; go in; go into; move into (to come or go into)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "intrude"):

break in (intrude on uninvited)

bother (intrude or enter uninvited)

barge in; crash; gate-crash (enter uninvited; informal)

move in on (make intrusive advances towards)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Also:

intrude on (to intrude upon, infringe, encroach on, violate)

Derivation:

intruder (someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission)

intrusion (entry to another's property without right or permission)

intrusive (tending to intrude (especially upon privacy))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Enter unlawfully on someone's property

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

intrude; trespass

Context example:

Don't trespass on my land!

Hypernyms (to "intrude" is one way to...):

breach; break; go against; infract; offend; transgress; violate (act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "intrude"):

break; break in (enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

intruder (someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission)

intrusion (entry to another's property without right or permission)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Search or inquire in a meddlesome way

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

horn in; intrude; nose; poke; pry

Context example:

This guy is always nosing around the office

Hypernyms (to "intrude" is one way to...):

look; search (search or seek)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Thrust oneself in as if by force

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

intrude; obtrude

Context example:

The colors don't intrude on the viewer

Hypernyms (to "intrude" is one way to...):

bring down; impose; inflict; visit (impose something unpleasant)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

intrusive (tending to intrude (especially upon privacy))

 Context examples 

“I trust that I am not intruding. I fear that I have brought some traces of the storm and rain into your snug chamber.”

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In marked contrast was Messner's "Please don't intrude, Theresa."

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The captain swear again, polyglot, and the thin man make him bow, and thank him, and say that he will so far intrude on his kindness as to come aboard before the sailing.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I ask your pardon, sir, if I intrude.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The ruffian Woodley was a very different person, but, except on one occasion, he had not molested our client, and now he visited the house of Carruthers without intruding upon her presence.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But if you have no confidence in me I would not intrude my services.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Good-morning, Colonel,” said he; “I hope I don’t intrude, but we hear that Mr. Holmes of Baker Street is here.”

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You can say, among other things, that if he sends anyone else to intrude upon me I shall call upon him with a riding-whip.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Mr. Darcy related the mistake which had occasioned his intruding on Miss Bennet, and after sitting a few minutes longer without saying much to anybody, went away.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

"It is not a seasonable hour to intrude on Mr. Oliver," answered St. John.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)