interest
Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈɪntəɹɪst/, /ˈɪntɹɪst/
  • (GA) IPA: /ˈɪntəɹəst/, /ˈɪntɹəst/, /ˈɪntəɹɛst/, /ˈɪntɹɛst/, /ˈɪntəɹst/
Noun

interest (uncountable)

  1. (uncountable, finance) The price paid for obtaining, or price received for providing, money or goods in a credit transaction, calculated as a fraction of the amount or value of what was borrowed. [from earlier 16th c.]
    Our bank offers borrowers an annual interest of 5%.
  2. (uncountable, finance) Any excess over and above an exact equivalent
    • 1597, William Shakespeare, ''Henry IV, Part 1, Act IV, sc 3:
      You shall have your desires with interest
  3. (uncountable) A great attention and concern from someone or something; intellectual curiosity. [from later 18th c.]
    He has a lot of interest in vintage cars.
  4. (uncountable) Attention that is given to or received from someone or something.
  5. (countable) An involvement, claim, right, share, stake in or link with a financial, business, or other undertaking or endeavor.
    When scientists and doctors write articles and when politicians run for office, they are required in many countries to declare any existing conflicts of interest.
    I have business interests in South Africa.
  6. (countable) Something or someone one is interested in.
    Lexicography is one of my interests.
    Victorian furniture is an interest of mine.
    The main character's romantic interest will be played by a non-professional actor.
  7. (uncountable) Condition or quality of exciting concern or being of importance
    • 1809, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Friend, Essay VIII:
      The conscience, indeed, is already violated when to moral good or evil we oppose things possessing no moral interest.
  8. (obsolete, rare) Injury, or compensation for injury; damages.
    • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821 ↗:
      How can this infinite beauty, power and goodnes admit any correspondencie or similitude with a thing so base and abject as we are, without extreme interest and manifest derogation from his divine greatnesse?
  9. (usually, in the plural) The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively.
    the iron interest;  the cotton interest
Synonyms
  • (fraction of the amount or value of what was borrowed) cost of money, oker
Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

interest (interests, present participle interesting; past and past participle interested)

  1. 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.
  2. (obsolete, often impersonal) To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite.
    • Or rather, gracious sir, / Create me to this glory, since my cause / Doth interest this fair quarrel.
  3. (obsolete) To cause or permit to share.
    • 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.
Antonyms Translations


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