Interest Definition
ĭntrĭst, -tər-ĭst, -trĕst
interested, interests
noun
interests
Something, such as a quality, subject, or activity, that evokes this mental state.
Counts the theater among his interests.
American Heritage
A right or claim to something.
Webster's New World
Something, as a business, in which one participates or has a share.
Webster's New World
A right, claim, or legal share.
An interest in the new company.
American Heritage
Advantage; welfare; benefit.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
verb
interested, interests
To excite the attention or curiosity of.
Webster's New World
To involve the interest, or concern, of; have an effect upon.
Webster's New World
To cause to have an interest or take part in.
Can I interest you in a drink before dinner?
Webster's New World
To engage the attention of; to awaken interest in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing.
It might interest you to learn that others have already tried that approach.
Action films don't really interest me.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
idiom
in the interest
- To the advantage of; for the sake of:
thinking in the interest of the whole family; ate breakfast on the train in the interest of time.
American Heritage
in the interest of
- for the sake of
Webster's New World
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Interest
- in the interest
- in the interest of
Origin of Interest
-
Middle English from Old French from Latin it is of importance third person sing. present tense of interesse to be between, take part in inter- inter- esse to be es- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
From Old French interesse and interest (French: intérêt), from Medieval Latin interesse, from Latin interesse.
From Wiktionary
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