attention Hear it!

attention Definition

at·ten·tion (ə ten′s̸hən)

noun

    1. the act of keeping one's mind closely on something or the ability to do this; mental concentration
    2. mental readiness for such concentration
  2. notice or observation her smile caught my attention
  3. care or consideration the matter will receive his immediate attention
    1. thoughtful consideration for others
    2. an act of consideration, courtesy, or devotion: usually used in pl. a suitor's attentions to a woman
  5. Mil.
    1. the erect, motionless posture of soldiers in readiness for another command
    2. a command to assume this posture

Etymology: L attentio < pp. of attendere: see attend

attention Synonyms

attention

n.

  1. The state of giving heed

    observation, observance, regard, notice, mindfulness, inspection, study, heed, watching, listening, concentration, care, consideration.

    Antonyms indifference*, abstraction, inattention.

  2. The power of giving heed

    concentration, attentiveness, intentness, alertness, thought, application, assiduousness, diligence, caution, preoccupation, thoroughness, recognition, regard, vigilance, mindfulness, watchfulness, heedfulness, awareness, consciousness.

    Antonyms indifference*, inattentiveness, negligence.

  3. Courtesies; usually plural

    respects, civilities, gestures, mannerliness, attentiveness, deference, offerings, consideration, kindnesses, politeness, obeisance, genuflections.

    Antonyms rudeness*, off-handedness, crudeness.

call attention to

point out, indicate, note, bring to one's notice; see designate 1, remind 2, warn.

attention Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • draw: Recent events have drawn world attention to the topic.
  • pay: I hope you are paying attention at the back!
  • attract: You will probably want to flash the title bar more than once to attract attention.
  • divert: New structures and projects can divert attention away from day-to-day services.
  • focus: Abraham did not want to focus attention on the ram.
  • deserve: Your Jaguar is a fine car which deserves the best attention.

Adjective modifier

  • particular: Pay particular attention focused on building games directly to.
  • careful: Careful attention to hygiene can also decrease the number of cases on a particular farm.
  • urgent: Sex Tourism Sex tourism is a problem which demands urgent attention.
  • undivided: There were three couples and me with four dive masters between us, so I had Eugene's undivided attention.
  • special: Each AONB has been designated for special attention by reason of their high qualities.
  • medical: You should get medical attention by going to A&E at your local hospital or by phoning 999 for an emergency ambulance.

Modifies a noun

  • deficit: This is Who for the attention deficit disorder generation.
  • hyperactivity: There is ample evidence that a deficiency of DHA is associated with depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dementia.
  • span: Itâs also very good for someone with a short attention span.
  • grabber: Attention Grabbers can advise on both types of link building to maximize the exposure of your site to the search engines.
  • disorder: This is Who for the attention deficit disorder generation.

Noun used with modifier

  • ones': It includes baby-safe mirrors that encourage self-discovery and bold colors and patterns proven to keep little ones' attention.
  • media: The more numerous we are and the more media attention we awake, the more successful the caravan will be.
  • medium: Their debut album ITS NICE TO BE NICE is now selling well on its third pressing and has received national media attention.
attention Quotes

I open with a clock striking, to beget an awful attention in the audience: it also marks the time, which is four o'clock in the morning, and saves a description of the rising sun, and a great deal about gilding the eastern hemisphere. 788

—Sheridan, Richard Brinsley

Economics is the science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between scarce resources and ends which have alternative uses† It does not attempt to pick out certain kinds of behaviour, but focusesattentionona particular aspect of behaviour, the form imposed by the influence of scarcity.

—Market

You learn to love by lovingöby paying attention and doing what one thereby discovers has to be done.

—Huxley, Aldous Leonard

Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract ourattention from serious things. Theyare but improved means to an unimproved end.

—Thoreau, Henry David

   It is to what I have called the Apes of God that I am drawing your attentionöthose prosperous mountebanks who alternately imitate and mock at and traduce those figures they at once admire and hate.

—Lezama Lima,Jose¤

   I think my grandmother actually smelled like a cookie and that's enough to get any child's attention.

—Bailey, F(rancis) Lee

   Let us fix our attention out of ourselves as much as possible; let us chase our imagination to the heavens, or to the utmost limits of the universe; we never really advance a step beyond ourselves, nor can conceive any kind of existence, but those perceptions, which have appeared in that narrow compass.

—Humboldt, Alexander, Baron von

Being a husband isawhole-timejob.That iswhysomany husbands fail. They cannot give their entire attention to it.

—Bennett, (Enoch) Arnold

I had often wondered why young women should marry, as they have so much more freedom, and so much more attention paid to them while unmarried, than when married.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

I envy paranoids; they actually feel people are paying attention to them. 804

—Sontag, Susan

His socks compelled one's attention without losing one's respect.

—Saki pseudonym of  Hector Hugh Munro

   The naturalist in England, in his walks, enjoys a great advantage over others in frequently meeting with something worthy of attention; here he suffers a pleasant nuisance in not being able to walk a hundred yards without being fairly tied to the spot by some new and wondrous creature.

—Darwin, Charles Robert

A democracy must remain at home in all matters that affect the nature of her institutions. Theyare of a nature to call for the undivided attention and devotion of the entire nation.We do not want the racial antipathies or national antagonisms of the Old World transformed to this continentöas they will, should we becomea part of European politics. The people of this country are overwhelmingly for a policy of neutrality.

—Borah,William Edgar