Search Result for "interest": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (7)

1. a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something;
- Example: "an interest in music"
[syn: interest, involvement]

2. a reason for wanting something done;
- Example: "for your sake"
- Example: "died for the sake of his country"
- Example: "in the interest of safety"
- Example: "in the common interest"
[syn: sake, interest]

3. the power of attracting or holding one's attention (because it is unusual or exciting etc.);
- Example: "they said nothing of great interest"
- Example: "primary colors can add interest to a room"
[syn: interest, interestingness]

4. a fixed charge for borrowing money; usually a percentage of the amount borrowed;
- Example: "how much interest do you pay on your mortgage?"

5. (law) a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something;
- Example: "they have interests all over the world"
- Example: "a stake in the company's future"
[syn: interest, stake]

6. (usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims;
- Example: "the iron interests stepped up production"
[syn: interest, interest group]

7. a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly);
- Example: "sailing is her favorite pastime"
- Example: "his main pastime is gambling"
- Example: "he counts reading among his interests"
- Example: "they criticized the boy for his limited pursuits"
[syn: pastime, interest, pursuit]


VERB (3)

1. excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of;

2. be on the mind of;
- Example: "I worry about the second Germanic consonant shift"
[syn: concern, interest, occupy, worry]

3. be of importance or consequence;
- Example: "This matters to me!"
[syn: matter to, interest]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Interest \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.] [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] To love our native country . . . to be interested in its concerns is natural to all men. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] A goddess who used to interest herself in marriages. --Addison. [1913 Webster] 2. To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite; -- often used impersonally. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Or rather, gracious sir, Create me to this glory, since my cause Doth interest this fair quarrel. --Ford. [1913 Webster] 3. To cause or permit to share. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Interest \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.] [1913 Webster] 1. Excitement of feeling, whether pleasant or painful, accompanying special attention to some object; concern; a desire to learn more about a topic or engage often in an activity. [1913 Webster +PJC] 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. [1913 Webster] So much interest have I in thy sorrow. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. (Finance, Commerce) Participation in advantage, profit, and responsibility; share; portion; part; as, an interest in a brewery; he has parted with his interest in the stocks. [1913 Webster] 3. Advantage, personal or general; good, regarded as a selfish benefit; profit; benefit. [1913 Webster] Divisions hinder the common interest and public good. --Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster] When interest calls of all her sneaking train. --Pope. [1913 Webster] 4. (Finance) A fee paid for the use of money; a fee paid for a loan; -- usually reckoned as a percentage; as, interest at five per cent per annum on ten thousand dollars. [1913 Webster] They have told their money, and let out Their coin upon large interest. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 5. Any excess of advantage over and above an exact equivalent for what is given or rendered. [1913 Webster] You shall have your desires with interest. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 6. The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively; as, the iron interest; the cotton interest. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

interest n 1: a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something; "an interest in music" [syn: interest, involvement] 2: 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" [syn: sake, interest] 3: the power of attracting or holding one's attention (because it is unusual or exciting etc.); "they said nothing of great interest"; "primary colors can add interest to a room" [syn: interest, interestingness] [ant: uninterestingness] 4: a fixed charge for borrowing money; usually a percentage of the amount borrowed; "how much interest do you pay on your mortgage?" 5: (law) 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" [syn: interest, stake] 6: (usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims; "the iron interests stepped up production" [syn: interest, interest group] 7: 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" [syn: pastime, interest, pursuit] v 1: excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of [ant: bore, tire] 2: be on the mind of; "I worry about the second Germanic consonant shift" [syn: concern, interest, occupy, worry] 3: be of importance or consequence; "This matters to me!" [syn: matter to, interest]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

533 Moby Thesaurus words for "interest": absolute interest, absorb, absorption, accent, accrued dividends, accumulated dividends, acquisitiveness, activities, activity, advantage, advocacy, aegis, affair, affairs, affect, affect the interest, agacerie, allotment, allowance, allure, allurement, amusement, animate, answer to, appeal, appertain to, applicability, application, apply to, appositeness, appurtenance, arouse, attention, attentiveness, attract, attraction, attractiveness, auspices, authority, autism, avail, avocation, aye, backing, bag, bait, bank rate, be attractive, bear on, bear upon, bearing, beckon, beguilement, beguiling, behalf, behoof, belong to, benefit, benison, bewitchery, bewitchment, bias, big end, bigger half, birthright, bit, bite, blandishment, blessing, boon, breakaway group, bribe, bring, budget, business, cajolery, camp, campaign, capital gains, captivate, captivation, capture, care, careerism, carrot, carry, cash dividend, catch, catch up in, cathexis, caucus, cause, championship, charisma, charity, charm, charmingness, chunk, claim, cleanup, clear profit, come-hither, commerce, commission, commitment, common, compensatory interest, compound interest, con, concern, concernment, conjugal right, connect, connection, consequence, consequentiality, consideration, contingent, contingent interest, convenience, correspond to, countenance, crusade, cumulative dividend, curiosity, curious mind, curiousness, cut, deal, deal with, decide, demand, destiny, determine, discount rate, discrimination, dispose, diversion, dividend, dividends, divine right, division, doing, dole, drag, draw, draw in, drive, droit, due, earnings, easement, ego trip, egotism, embarrass, emphasis, employ, employment, enchantment, encouragement, end, engage, engagement, engross, engrossment, enlist, enmesh, entangle, enterprise, entertainment, enthrallment, enthusiasm, enticement, entrapment, equal share, equitable interest, equity, estate, ethnic group, excellence, excite, excite interest, excitement, exorbitant interest, extra dividend, faction, faculty, faith, fascinate, fascination, fate, favor, favoritism, fetch, fillip, filthy lucre, fire, flirtation, forbidden fruit, fosterage, function, gain, gains, germaneness, get, get to do, gettings, ghoulishness, glamour, gleanings, good, goodwill, graspingness, great cause, greed, gross, gross interest, gross profit, guidance, half, halver, have connection with, helping, high order, high rank, hoard, hobby, hold, holding, implicate, import, importance, inalienable right, incentive, incite, incitement, inclination, incline, income, individualism, induce, inducement, inequality, infect, influence, inquiring mind, inquisitiveness, inside track, interest group, interest in, interest rate, interestedness, interests, interim dividend, intrigue, inveiglement, investment, invitation, invite, involve, involve in, involvement, issue, itch for knowledge, job, killing, kindle, labor, lead, leaning, liaise with, lifework, limitation, link with, lively interest, lookout, lot, lucrative interest, lucre, lure, magnetism, makings, mark, mass movement, materiality, matter, matter of interest, measure, meddlesomeness, meed, melon, mental acquisitiveness, merit, mess, minority group, modicum, moiety, moment, morbid curiosity, mortgage points, move, movement, narcissism, natural right, nay, neat profit, nepotism, net, net interest, net profit, no, nosiness, note, notice, occupation, officiousness, offshoot, one-sidedness, optional dividend, paper profits, paramountcy, part, parti pris, partiality, participation, partisanism, partisanship, party, passion, pastime, patronage, payment, pelf, penal interest, percentage, perk, perks, perquisite, personal aims, personal ambition, personal desires, personalism, persuade, persuasive, pertain to, pertinence, phony dividend, pickings, piece, pique, plaque, plum, point, political party, portion, possessiveness, power, precedence, preeminence, preference, preferential treatment, premium, prerogative, prescription, pressure group, presumptive right, pretense, pretension, prevail upon, price, price of money, primacy, principle, priority, privatism, pro, proceeding, proceeds, procure, profit, profits, prompt, proper claim, property, property right, proportion, prosperity, provocation, provoke, prurience, prurient interest, prying, pull, pursuit, quantum, quicken, quota, rake-off, rate, rate of interest, ration, reason for being, receipts, refer to, reference, regard, regular dividend, relate to, relatedness, relaxation, relevance, remoteness, respect, return, returns, reward, right, right of entry, scopophilia, scrutiny, seconding, sect, seducement, seduction, seductiveness, segment, self-absorption, self-admiration, self-advancement, self-centeredness, self-consideration, self-containment, self-devotion, self-esteem, self-importance, self-indulgence, self-interest, self-interestedness, self-jealousy, self-occupation, self-pleasing, self-seeking, self-serving, self-solicitude, self-sufficiency, selfishness, selfism, service, settlement, sex appeal, share, side, significance, silent majority, simple interest, slice, small share, snare, snaring, special dividend, special favor, special interest, splinter, splinter group, sponsorship, stake, stimulate, stimulation, stimulative, stimulus, stock, stock dividend, store, stress, strict settlement, suck into, suction, summon, superiority, supremacy, sway, sweetener, sweetening, sympathy, take, take-in, talk into, tangle, tantalization, tantalize, tease, tempt, temptation, the affirmative, the negative, thing, thirst for knowledge, tickle, tie in with, titillate, title, touch, touch upon, transaction, treat of, trust, tutelage, undertaking, undetachment, undispassionateness, unneutrality, use, usury, value, vested interest, vested right, vocal minority, voyeurism, wealth, weight, welfare, well-being, whet, whet the appetite, wing, winning ways, winnings, winsomeness, witchery, wooing, work, world of good, worth
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

INTEREST, estates. The right which a man has in a chattel real, and more particularly in a future term. It is a word of less efficacy and extent than estates, though, in legal understanding, an interest extends to estates, rights and titles which a man has in or out of lands, so that by a grant of his whole interest in land, a reversion as well as the fee simple shall pass. Co. Litt. 345.
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

INTEREST, contracts. The right of property which a man has in a thing, commonly called insurable interest. It is not easy to give all accurate definition of insurable interest. 1 Burr. 480; 1 Pet. R. 163; 12 Wend. 507 16 Wend. 385; 16 Pick. 397; 13 Mass. 61, 96; 3 Day, 108; 1 Wash. C. C. Rep. 409. 2. The policy of commerce and the various complicated. rights which different persons may have in the same thing, require that not only those who have an absolute property in ships and goods, but those also who have a qualified property therein, may be at liberty to insure them. For example, when a ship is mortgaged, after, the mortgage becomes absolute, the owner of the legal estate has an insurable interest, and the mortgagor, on account of his equity, has also an insurable interest. 2 T. R. 188 1 Burr. 489; 13 Mass. 96; 10 Pick. 40 and see 1 T. R. 745; Marsh. Ins. h. t.; 6 Meeson & Welshy, 224. 3. A man may not only insure his own life for the benefit of his heirs or creditors, and assign the benefit of this insurance to others having thus or otherwise an interest in his life, but be may insure the life of another in which he may be interested. Marsh. Ins. Index, h. t.; Park, Ins. Index, h. t.; 1 Bell's Com. 629, 5th ed.; 9 East, R. 72. Vide Insurance.
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

INTEREST, evidence. The benefit which a person has in the matter about to be decided and which is in issue between the parties. By the term benefit is here understood some pecuniary or other advantage, which if obtained, would increase the, witness estate, or some loss, which would decrease it. 2. It is a general rule that a party who has an interest in the cause cannot be a witness. It will be proper to consider this matter by taking a brief view of the thing or subject in dispute, which is the object of the interest; the quantity of interest; the quality of interest; when an interested witness can be examined; when the interest must exist; how an interested witness can be rendered competent. 3.-1. To be disqualified on the ground of interest, the witness must gain or lose by the event of the cause, or the verdict must be lawful evidence for or against him in another suit, or the record must be an instrument of evidence for or against him. 3 John. Cas. 83; 1 Phil. Ev. 36; Stark. Ev. pt. 4, p. 744. But an interest in the question does not disqualify the witness. 1 Caines, 171; 4 John. 302; 5 John. 255; 1 Serg. & R. 82, 36; 6 Binn. 266; 1 H. & M. 165, 168. 4.-2. The magnitude of the interest is altogether immaterial, even a liability for the most trifling costs will be sufficient. 5 T. R. 174; 2 Vern. 317; 2 Greenl. 194; 11 John. 57. 5.-3. With regard to the quality, the interest must be legal, as contradistinguished from mere prejudice or bias, arising from relationship, friendship, or any of the numerous motives by which a witness may be supposed to be influenced. Leach, 154; 2 St. Tr. 334, 891; 2 Hawk. ch. 46, s. 25. It must be a present, certain, vested interest, and not uncertain and contingent. Dougl. 134; 2 P. Wms. 287; 3 S. & R. 132; 4 Binn. 83; 2 Yeates, 200; 5 John. 256; 7 Mass. 25. And it must have been acquired without fraud. 3 Camp. 380; l M. & S. 9; 1 T. R. 37. 6.-4. To the general rule that interest renders a witness incompetent, there are some exceptions. First. Although the witness may have an interest, yet if his interest is equally strong on the other side, and no more, the witness is reduced to a state of neutrality by an equipoise of interest, and the objection to his testimony ceases. 7 T. R. 480, 481, n.; 1 Bibb, R. 298; 2 Mass. R. 108; 2 S. & R. 119; 6 Penn. St. Rep. 322. 7. Secondly. In some instances the law admits the testimony of one interested, from the extreme necessity of the case; upon this ground the servant of a tradesman is admitted to prove the delivery of goods and the payment of money, without any release from the master. 4 T. R. 490; 2 Litt. R. 27. 8.-5. The interest, to render the witness disqualified, must exist at the time of his examination. A deposition made at a time when the witness had no interest, may be read in evidence, although he has afterwards acquired an interest. 1 Hoff. R. 21. 9.-6. The objection to incompetency on the ground of interest may be removed by an extinguishment of that interest by means of a release, executed either by the witness, when he would receive an advantage by his testimony, or by those who have a claim upon him when his testimony would be evidence of his liability. The objection may also be removed by payment. Stark. Ev. pt. 4, p. 757. See Benth. Rationale of Jud. Ev. 628-692, where he combats the established doctrines of the law, as to the exclusion on the ground of interest; and Balance.
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

INTEREST, MARITIME. By maritime interest is understood the profit of money lent on bottomry or respondentia, which is allowed to be greater than simple interest because the capital of the lender is put in jeopardy. There is no limit by law as to the amount which may be charged for maritime interest. It is fixed generally by the agreement of the parties. 2. The French writers employ a variety of terms in order to distinguish if according to the nature of the case. They call it interest, when it is stipulated to be paid by the month, or at other stated periods. It is a premium, when a gross sum is to be paid at the end of the voyage, and here the risk is the principal object they have in view. When the sum is a per centage on the money lent, they call it exchange, considering it in the light of money lent at one place to be returned in another, with a difference in amount between the sum borrowed and that which is paid, arising from the difference of time and place. When they intend to combine these various shades into one general denomination, they make use of the term maritime profit, to convey their meaning. Hall on Mar. Loans, 56, n.