interview

Pluralinterviews

Formsinterviews, interviewing, interviewed

1. 1
   a media talknouncountable

   A conversation between a journalist and someone whose opinions or statements are being recorded for publication or broadcast.

   In the interview, the senator defended her recent vote.

   The magazine published a long interview with the director.

   UsageUsually the person answering gives an interview, and you have an interview with someone: an interview with the director.

   Similarconversation, discussion, dialogue

2. 2
   a job meetingnouncountable

   A formal meeting, held in person or by phone or video, in which someone is assessed as a candidate or applicant.

   The hiring manager scheduled an interview with each shortlisted applicant.

   He prepared carefully for his interview at the law firm.

   UsageYou have an interview for a job, at or with a company: an interview for the post at a law firm.

3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To question someone, usually in an arranged meeting, as for a job, a report, or an investigation.

   The panel will interview each applicant separately.

   A detective interviewed the witnesses one by one.

   UsageThe asker is the subject: they interview you, and you are interviewed. Compare you interview for a job.

   Similarquestion, interrogate, examine, quiz

   Note

   The setting need not be formal. In Salman Rushdie's Fury (2001), the 'lounging goddess of the threshold' proceeds, unnervingly, to interview the professor. The word turns ordinary curiosity into something like a cross-examination, and that is exactly what unnerves him.

4. 4
   verbintransitive

   To attend a meeting as the person being questioned, as when seeking a job.

   I interview better when I feel well prepared.

   Two of us interviewed for the same position that afternoon.

   UsageThe candidate is the subject: you interview for a job, with or at a company, and can interview well.

5. 5
   nouncountable

   A questioning of a suspect or other party conducted by police during an investigation.

   Detectives conducted a formal interview with the main suspect.

   The lawyer attended her client's interview at the precinct.

   Similarinterrogation, questioning

6. 6
   official meetingnouncountable

   A formal face-to-face meeting, especially an official one with an important person.

   The ambassador sought an interview with the foreign minister.

   After weeks of letters, the bishop was at last granted an interview with the prime minister, and the two men talked for an hour in his study.

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