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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Interest

In’ter-est, v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. INTERESTED; p. pr. & vb. n. INTERESTING.] [From the noun; Fr. intéresser, Pr. & Pg. interessar, Sp. interesar, It. interessare, Lat. interesse. See infra.]

Sense 1. To place among; to set or station. [Obs.] “Interested him among the gods.” Chapman.

Sense 2. Hence, to be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite;—often used impersonally. [Obs.] Or rather, gracious sir, Create me to this glory, since my cause Doth interest this fair quarrel. Ford.

Sense 3. To engage the attention of; to awaken concern in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing;—usually followed by in or for. To love our native country . . . to be interested in its concerns is natural to all men. Dryden.

Sense 4. To excite in behalf of another, or of some other object;—used reflexively. This was a goddess who used to interest herself in marriages. Addison.

Ĭn’ter-est, n.

noun

n. [O. Fr. interest, N. Fr. intérêt, from Lat. interest, it interests, is of interest; from interesse, to be between, to be of importance, from inter, between, and esse, to be; Pr., O. Sp., Pg., & It. interesse, N. Sp. interés.] 1. Special attention to some object; concern; sympathy; regard. So much interest have I in thy sorrow. Shak.

  1. Excitement of feeling, whether pleasant or painful, especially of pleased or gratified feeling, regard, or affection; as, to feel or express an interest in one.
  2. Share; portion; part; participation in value; as, he has parted with his interest in the stocks; he has an interest in a manufactory of cotton goods.

I bar it in the interest of my wife. Shak. 4. Advantage, personal or general; good, regarded as a selfish benefit, either to an individual or a community; share; lot. Divisions hinder the common interest and public good. Sir W. Temple. 'Tis interest calls off all her sneaking train. Pope. 5. Premium paid for the use of money; the profit per cent. derived from money lent, or property used by another person, or from debts remaining unpaid. I have kept back their foes While they have told their money, and let out Their coin upon large interest. Shak. 6. Any surplus advantage, or unexpected advance in returning what has been received. With all speed You shall have your desires with interest. Shak. Compound interest, that which arises from the principal with the interest added; interest on interest.—Simple interest, that which arises from the principal sum only.