Interest word meaning and definition

[noun] a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly); "sailing is her favorite pastime"; "his main pastime is gambling"; "he counts reading among his interests"; "they criticized the boy for his limited pursuits"
[noun] a reason for wanting something done; "for your sake"; "died for the sake of his country"; "in the interest of safety"; "in the common interest"
[noun] the power of attracting or holding one's interest (because it is unusual or exciting etc.); "they said nothing of great interest"; "primary colors can add interest to a room"
[noun] a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something; "an interest in music"
[noun] (usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims; "the iron interests stepped up production"
[noun] a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something; "they have interests all over the world"; "a stake in the company's future"
[noun] a fixed charge for borrowing money; usually a percentage of the amount borrowed; "how much interest do you pay on your mortgage?"
[verb] excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of
[verb] be on the mind of; "What is worrying you?"
[verb] be of importance or consequence; "This matters to me!"

\In"ter*est\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Interested}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Interesting}.] [From interess'd, p. p. of the older form interess, fr. F. int['e]resser, L. interesse. See {Interest}, n.] 1. To engage the attention of; to awaken interest in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing; as, the subject did not interest him; to interest one in charitable work. To love our native country . . . to be interested in its concerns is natural to all men. --Dryden. A goddess who used to interest herself in marriages. --Addison. 2. To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite; -- often used impersonally. [Obs.] Or rather, gracious sir, Create me to this glory, since my cause Doth interest this fair quarrel. --Ford. 3. To cause or permit to share. [Obs.] The mystical communion of all faithful men is such as maketh every one to be interested in those precious blessings which any one of them receiveth at God's hands. --Hooker. Syn: To concern; excite; attract; entertain; engage; occupy; hold.
\In"ter*est\, n. [OF. interest, F. int['e]r[^e]t, fr. L. interest it interests, is of interest, fr. interesse to be between, to be difference, to be importance; inter between + esse to be; cf. LL. interesse usury. See {Essence}.] 1. Excitement of feeling, whether pleasant or painful, accompanying special attention to some object; concern. Note: Interest expresses mental excitement of various kinds and degrees. It may be intellectual, or sympathetic and emotional, or merely personal; as, an interest in philosophical research; an interest in human suffering; the interest which an avaricious man takes in money getting. So much interest have I in thy sorrow. --Shak. 2. Participation in advantage, profit, and responsibility; share; portion; part; as, an interest in a brewery; he has parted with his interest in the stocks. 3. Advantage, personal or general; good, regarded as a selfish benefit; profit; benefit. Divisions hinder the common interest and public good. --Sir W. Temple. When interest calls of all her sneaking train. --Pope. 4. Premium paid for the use of money, -- usually reckoned as a percentage; as, interest at five per cent per annum on ten thousand dollars. They have told their money, and let out Their coin upon large interest. --Shak. 5. Any excess of advantage over and above an exact equivalent for what is given or rendered. You shall have your desires with interest. --Shak. 6. The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively; as, the iron interest; the cotton interest. {Compound interest}, interest, not only on the original principal, but also on unpaid interest from the time it fell due. {Simple interest}, interest on the principal sum without interest on overdue interest.

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