interest

[ in-ter-ist, -trist ]

/ ˈɪn tər ɪst, -trɪst /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR interest ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the feeling of a person whose attention, concern, or curiosity is particularly engaged by something: She has a great interest in the poetry of Donne.

something that concerns, involves, draws the attention of, or arouses the curiosity of a person: His interests are philosophy and chess.

power of exciting such concern, involvement, etc.; quality of being interesting: political issues of great interest.

concern; importance: a matter of primary interest.

a business, cause, or the like in which a person has a share, concern, responsibility, etc.

a share, right, or title in the ownership of property, in a commercial or financial undertaking, or the like: He bought half an interest in the store.

a participation in or concern for a cause, advantage, responsibility, etc.

a number or group of persons, or a party, financially interested in the same business, industry, or enterprise: the banking interest.

interests, the group of persons or organizations having extensive financial or business power.

the state of being affected by something in respect to advantage or detriment: We need an arbiter who is without interest in the outcome.

benefit; advantage: to have one's own interest in mind.

regard for one's own advantage or profit; self-interest: The partnership dissolved because of their conflicting interests.

influence from personal importance or capability; power of influencing the action of others.

Finance.

a sum paid or charged for the use of money or for borrowing money.
such a sum expressed as a percentage of money borrowed to be paid over a given period, usually one year.

something added or thrown in above an exact equivalent: Jones paid him back with a left hook and added a right uppercut for interest.

verb (used with object)

to engage or excite the attention or curiosity of: Mystery stories interested him greatly.

to concern (a person, nation, etc.) in something; involve: The fight for peace interests all nations.

to cause to take a personal concern or share; induce to participate: to interest a person in an enterprise.

to cause to be concerned; affect.

Idioms for interest

in the interest(s) of, to the advantage or advancement of; in behalf of: in the interests of good government.

Origin of interest

1225–75; (noun) Middle English < Medieval Latin, Latin: it concerns, literally, it is between; replacing interesse < Medieval Latin, Latin: to concern, literally, to be between; (v.) earlier interess as v. use of the noun; see inter-, esse

OTHER WORDS FROM interest

o·ver·in·ter·est, noun pre·in·ter·est, noun, verb re·in·ter·est, noun, verb (used with object)

Words nearby interest

interdigit, interdigitate, interdigitating cell, interdigitation, interdisciplinary, interest, interest group, interest rate, interest-rate futures, interested, interesterification

Example sentences from the Web for interest

Campaigns like opechatesgays.com assume that LGBT people are an interest group with only one interest: their own.

How Canadian Oilmen Pinkwash the Keystone Pipeline |Jay Michaelson |December 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
From his purview, our visit and interest had brought excitement to him and his peers.

Cuban Hip-Hop Was Born in Alamar |Daniel Levin |December 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
This does not reflect lack of interest in a better environment.

Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats |Joel Kotkin |December 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The only interest served by the Guardians of Peace is our prurient interest.

The Disaster Story That Hollywood Had Coming |Doug McIntyre |December 17, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

At this point in his life, Denton has enough filthy lucre in his bank account to affect a certain lack of interest in the stuff.

The Gospel According to Nick Denton—What Next For The Gawker Founder? |Lloyd Grove |December 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Breakfast over, each individual disposes of himself as best accords with inclination or interest.

Forest Life and Forest Trees: comprising winter camp-life among the loggers, and wild-wood adventure. |John S. Springer
Mr. Travilla asked, regarding her with interest as she took the book and opened it.

Mildred at Home |Martha Finley
This Prize, which is kept up by the interest accruing every three years, has been awarded at Cambridge regularly since 1845.

Toronto of Old |Henry Scadding
The bank official—for such Mr. Robinson was—listened with interest to all Philip Bartlett had to tell.

Randy of the River |Horatio Alger Jr.
Mather vindicates his taking such an interest in her case, on the ground that she was one of his "poor flock."

Salem Witchcraft and Cotton Mather |Charles W. Upham

British Dictionary definitions for interest

interest

/ (ˈɪntrɪst, -tərɪst) /

noun

the sense of curiosity about or concern with something or someone an interest in butterflies

the power of stimulating such a sense to have great interest

the quality of such stimulation

something in which one is interested; a hobby or pursuit

(often plural) benefit; advantage in one's own interest

(often plural)

a right, share, or claim, esp in a business or property
the business, property, etc, in which a person has such concern

a charge for the use of credit or borrowed money
such a charge expressed as a percentage per time unit of the sum borrowed or used

(often plural) a section of a community, etc, whose members have common aims we must not offend the landed interest

declare an interest to make known one's connection, esp a prejudicial connection, with an affair

verb (tr)

to arouse or excite the curiosity or concern of

to cause to become involved in something; concern

Word Origin for interest

C15: from Latin: it concerns, from interesse; from inter- + esse to be

Cultural definitions for interest

interest

The charge for borrowing money or the return for lending it.

Idioms and Phrases with interest

interest

see in one's interest; take an interest; vested interest; with interest.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

interest

noun

verb (used with object)

Idioms for interest

Origin of interest

OTHER WORDS FROM interest

Words nearby interest

Example sentences from the Web for interest

British Dictionary definitions for interest

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for interest

Cultural definitions for interest

Idioms and Phrases with interest

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

interest

noun

verb (used with object)

Idioms for interest

Origin of interest

OTHER WORDS FROM interest

Words nearby interest

Words related to interest

Example sentences from the Web for interest

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noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for interest

Cultural definitions for interest

Idioms and Phrases with interest

British Dictionary definitions for interest