Interest

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.

To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite; -- often used impersonally.

To cause or permit to share.

Excitement of feeling, whether pleasant or painful, accompanying special attention to some object; concern.

Participation in advantage, profit, and responsibility; share; portion; part; as, an interest in a brewery; he has parted with his interest in the stocks.

Advantage, personal or general; good, regarded as a selfish benefit; profit; benefit.

Premium paid for the use of money, -- usually reckoned as a percentage; as, interest at five per cent per annum on ten thousand dollars.

Any excess of advantage over and above an exact equivalent for what is given or rendered.

The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively; as, the iron interest; the cotton interest.

(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"

a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something; "an interest in music"

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"

(usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims; "the iron interests stepped up production"

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"