invade: Meaning and Definition of

in•vade

Pronunciation: (in-vād'), [key]
— v., -vad•ed, -vad•ing.
—v.t.
  1. to enter forcefully as an enemy; go into with hostile intent: Germany invaded Poland in 1939.
  2. to enter like an enemy: Locusts invaded the fields.
  3. to enter as if to take possession: to invade a neighbor's home.
  4. to enter and affect injuriously or destructively, as disease: viruses that invade the bloodstream.
  5. to intrude upon: to invade the privacy of a family.
  6. to encroach or infringe upon: to invade the rights of citizens.
  7. to permeate: The smell of baking invades the house.
  8. to penetrate; spread into or over: The population boom has caused city dwellers to invade the suburbs.
—v.i.
  1. to make an invasion: troops awaiting the signal to invade.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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