You searched for: “interests
interest (s), interests (pl) (nouns)
1. The power of attracting or holding a person's interest because it is unusual, exciting, etc.: "They said nothing of great interest."
2. A sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something: "An interest in music."
3. A social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims: "The iron interests stepped up production."
4. A right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something: "They have interests all over the world."
5. A fixed charge for borrowing money; usually a percentage of the amount borrowed: "How much interest do you pay on your mortgage?"
6. A diversion that occupies a person's time and thoughts; usually pleasantly: "He counts reading among his main interests."
7. A reason for wanting something done: "In the interest of safety."
8. Etymology: "legal claim or right; concern; benefit, advantage"; earlier interesse (late 14th century), from Anglo-French interesse, "what one has a legal concern in", from Middle Latin interesse, "compensation for loss", from Latin interresse, "to concern, to make a difference, to be of importance"; literally, "to be between", from inter-, "between" + esse. "to be".

The form was influenced in the 15th century by Old French interest, "damage"; from Latin interest, "it is of importance, it makes a difference", the third person singular present tense of interresse.

The financial sense of "money paid for the use of money lent" (1520's) earlier was distinguished from usury (illegal under Church law) by being a reference to "compensation that is due from a defaulting debtor".

This entry is located in the following units: esse, sent-, terest- (page 2) inter-, intero- (page 5)
interest, interests, interested, interesting (verbs)
1. To cause someone to want to learn more about something or to become involved in something: "Military history interests me and so that's why I have so many books about this subject."

"It interested him to know that she once lived in Paris, France, too."

2. To persuade a person to have, to take, or to participate in something: "The salesman tried to interest her in a more expensive computer."

"The story in the book was interesting the children more and more as the father read to them."

This entry is located in the following units: esse, sent-, terest- (page 2) inter-, intero- (page 5)