n. A vacant or unobstructed space between points or objects; an intervening vacancy; an open reach or stretch between limits: as, the intervals between the ranks of an army.n. Specifically, a low level tract of land, as along a river, between hills, etc. Also intervale.n. Any dividing tract in space, time, or degree; an intervening space, period, or state; a separating reach or stretch of any kind: with reference either to the space itself or to the points of separation or division: as, an interval of rocky ground between meadows; to fill up an interval in. conversation with music; an interval of ease or of relapse in disease; a lucid interval in delirium; to set trees at intervals of fifty feet; to breathe only at long intervals; the clock strikes at intervals of an hour.n. Specifically, in entomology, one of the spaces between longitudinal striæ of the elytra. When the striæ are regular, both they and the intervals are numbered from the suture outward.n. In music, the difference or distance in pitch between two tones.n. The values given in the first column are those of the ideal intervals, such as are secured by using pure intonation; those given in the second column are those of equally tempered intonation, such as is used on keyed instruments, like the pianoforte and the organ. (See intonation and temperament.) A diatonic, interval is one that occurs between two tones of a normal major or minor scale. A chromatic interval is one that occurs between a tone of such a scale and a tone foreign to that scale. An enharmonic interval is one on an instrument of fixed intonation, that is apparent only in the notation, being in fact a unison, as, on the pianoforte, the interval from F♮ to G♭. In musical science the theory of intervals is introductory to that of chords and to harmony in general.n. In logic, a proposition.n. During or between intervals; between whiles or by turns; occasionally or alternately: as, to rest at intervals.
