\In`ter*mit"tent\, a. [L. intermittens, -entis, p.
pr. of intermittere: cf. F. intermittent.]
Coming and going at intervals; alternating; recurrent;
periodic; as, an intermittent fever. --Boyle.
{Intermittent fever} (Med.), a disease with fever which
   recurs at certain intervals; -- applied particularly to
   fever and ague. See {Fever}.
{Intermittent gearing} (Mach.), gearing which receives, or
   produces, intermittent motion.
{Intermittent springs}, springs which flow at intervals, not
   apparently dependent upon rain or drought. They probably
   owe their intermittent action to their being connected
   with natural reservoirs in hills or mountains by passages
   having the form of a siphon, the water beginning to flow
   when it has accumulated so as to fill the upper part of
   the siphon, and ceasing when, by running through it, it
   has fallen below the orifice of the upper part of the
   siphon in the reservoir.

\In`ter*mit"tent\, n. (Med.)
An intermittent fever or disease. --Dunglison.