Interim

An interim is a temporary pause in a line of succession or event. It is frequently used as an appositive noun, in which case it serves as an adjective meaning "in between," "transitional," or "temporary."

Definition of "Interim"

It is serving as a temporary measure until something more complete and permanent can be established.

Many things can be designated interim. In projects, an interim report is often compiled to analyze how the project is proceeding, before its final completion. Interim analysis is important in medical trials, to ensure that the patients are not exposed to unnecessary danger during the trial.

An interim official is a person who is filling an official role temporarily. This can be in between two other people, or when the normal person is temporarily unable to do it and somebody else must fill in temporarily or without following the ordinary protocol. For example, a school can have an interim principal, or a country can have an interim prime minister. The interim person may also be called an "acting principal" or "acting prime minister", as they do not have the official position, but serve in the same manner. A specific usage of this term is the interim leader in Canadian politics.

Interim management is used by businesses in trouble, which need extra management resources to control the crisis or change the direction of the company. An interim manager is a person who provides temporary managerial support usually at executive level to an organization and the achievement of its business objectives.

A ceasefire is sometimes called an interim, as it interrupts the progress of a war. This usage is particularly used with agreements during the wars of religion in 16th-century Germany, in which three interims were called to convene synods:
* Regensburg Interim (1541)
* Augsburg Interim (1548)
* Leipzig Interim (1548)The term "Interim Agreement" is used to describe the either the first or second Oslo Accords of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

An interim government is frequently organized following a revolution or sudden death, when there has not been time to nominate, designate, or elect a government formally. Such a government may also be called a "provisional government". Examples include:
* Interim Batasang Pambansa in the Philippines, 1978-1984
* The Interim Government of Iran, 1979-1980
* The Interim government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1981
* Iraqi Interim Government, 2005

An interim constitution is a constitution which has not been completely ratified but serves as the law until a final constitution can be drafted. These may also be called "provisional constitutions". Examples include:
* Provisional Confederate States Constitution, 1861
* Dáil Constitution, Ireland, 1918-1921
* Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period, 2004