Dictionary

divine intervention en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (qualifier:set phrase, uncountable, usually) A direct and obvious intervention by a god in the affairs of a human.
   • Farmers in the Midwest are literally praying for rain: the St. John Catholic Church in Spearville, Kansas is holding four special services this week to seek divine intervention. 2002 April 10, Jessica Reaves, “How Dry We Are”, in Time, retrieved 03 Aug 2016:
   • Nature cannot tell beforehand how a Divine intervention is to accomplish its object, for that intervention must be beyond nature, beyond all its findings and experience. 1851, James McCosh, The Method of Divine Government, Physical and Moral, New York: Robert Carter & Bros., p. 479 (Google preview)
   • As Silversides now commenced its best imitation of a two-and-a-half-thousand-ton roller coaster heading down into the depths, one of the junior officers half-ran, half-fell through the submarine into the forward torpedo room, to demand of Chief Smiley "do something!" about the stuck bow planes. Illustrating the completely-useless system shattered by the bomb blast, the chief informed the officer that the most-useful thing he was able to do right now was pray for divine intervention. 2022 September 28, Drachinifel, 18:04 from the start, in The USN Pacific Submarine Campaign - The Struggle is Real (Jan'43 - Jun'43), archived from the original on 19 Jul 2023:
   • Unlike some of the more colorful faith healers of the past, Dr. Krieger does not claim miraculous cures or divine interventions. 1977 November 6, Ronald Sullivan, “Hospitals Introducing a Therapy Resembling 'Laying On of Hands'”, in New York Times, retrieved 03 Aug 2016:
   • And indeed if he does escape it will seem a miracle, and almost a divine intervention, not only to the pursued but to the pursuers. 1920, Gilbert Keith Chesterton, chapter 12, in The New Jerusalem:
2. (figuratively, uncountable, usually) An unexpected fortunate turn of events; a miracle.
   • I knew who you were as a [RuPaul's] Drag Race fan. So I was gagged personally and I still am gagged, but it was quite divine intervention. Thom Kerr, the photographer, really got the ball rolling and I had no idea what to expect of this shoot besides greatness. 2024 May 10, Justin Moran, quoting Isaac Dunbar, “Isaac Dunbar and Kerri Colby Were Built for This”, in Paper:

Forms

Relateds

miracle · God wink

Translations (5)

es intervención divina (intervention by God) · pl dopust (intervention by God) · km ទេវាន្តរាគមន៍ (intervention by God) · pl boska interwencja (intervention by God) · pl zrządzenie (intervention by God)