Both Uses of
intermittent
in
Far from the Madding Crowd
- This exceptional ringing may be caused in two ways—by the rapid feeding of the sheep bearing the bell, as when the flock breaks into new pasture, which gives it an intermittent rapidity, or by the sheep starting off in a run, when the sound has a regular palpitation.†
Chpt 4-6 *
- From the trees came the sound of steady dripping upon the drifted leaves under them, and from the direction of the church she could hear another noise—peculiar, and not intermittent like the rest, the purl of water falling into a pool.†
Chpt 46-48
Definition:
-
(intermittent) stopping and starting -- especially at irregular intervals