intermittent

Stopping and starting at intervals. synonym: periodic.

Alternately containing and empty of water.

Ceasing at intervals; that alternately stops and starts; intermitting: as, an intermittent fever; an intermittent spring.

Intermittent fever.

Coming and going at intervals; alternating; recurrent; periodic.

a disease with fever which recurs at certain intervals; — applied particularly to fever and ague. See Fever.

gearing which receives, or produces, intermittent motion.

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.

An intermittent fever or disease.

Stopping and starting at intervals; coming after a particular time span; not steady or constant