interest

[ in-ter-ist, -trist ]

/ ˈɪn tər ɪst, -trɪst /

SEE MORE 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.

Nearby words

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

Idioms

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

Related forms

o·ver·in·ter·est, nounpre·in·ter·est, noun, verbre·in·ter·est, noun, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for in the interest of

interest

/ (ˈɪntrɪst, -tərɪst) /

noun

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

the power of stimulating such a senseto have great interest

the quality of such stimulation

something in which one is interested; a hobby or pursuit

(often plural) benefit; advantagein 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 aimswe 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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interest

noun

verb (used with object)

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of interest

Related forms

British Dictionary definitions for in the interest of

interest

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for interest

Culture definitions for in the interest of

interest

Idioms and Phrases with in the interest of (1 of 2)

in the interest of

Idioms and Phrases with in the interest of (2 of 2)

interest