English noun: interest | |||
1. | interest (cognition) a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something | ||
Samples | An interest in music. | ||
Synonyms | involvement | ||
Broader (hypernym) | curiosity, wonder | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | concern, enthusiasm | ||
2. | interest (attribute) a reason for wanting something done | ||
Samples | For your sake. Died for the sake of his country. In the interest of safety. In the common interest. | ||
Synonyms | sake | ||
Broader (hypernym) | benefit, welfare | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | behalf | ||
3. | interest (attribute) the power of attracting or holding one's attention (because it is unusual or exciting etc.) | ||
Samples | They said nothing of great interest. Primary colors can add interest to a room. | ||
Synonyms | interestingness | ||
Broader (hypernym) | power, powerfulness | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | charisma, color, colour, news, newsworthiness, personal appeal, personal magnetism, shrillness, topicality, vividness | ||
Attribute | interesting, uninteresting | ||
Antonyms | uninterestingness | ||
4. | interest (possession) a fixed charge for borrowing money; usually a percentage of the amount borrowed | ||
Samples | How much interest do you pay on your mortgage?. | ||
Broader (hypernym) | fixed charge, fixed cost, fixed costs | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | compound interest, simple interest | ||
5. | interest (possession) (law) a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something | ||
Samples | They have interests all over the world. A stake in the company's future. | ||
Synonyms | stake | ||
Broader (hypernym) | part, percentage, portion, share | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | controlling interest, equity, fee, grubstake, insurable interest, reversion, right, security interest, terminable interest, undivided interest, undivided right, vested interest | ||
Domain category | jurisprudence, law | ||
6. | interest (group) (usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims | ||
Samples | The iron interests stepped up production. | ||
Synonyms | interest group | ||
Broader (hypernym) | social group | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | special interest, vested interest | ||
Domain usage | plural, plural form | ||
7. | interest (act) a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly) | ||
Samples | Sailing is her favorite pastime. His main pastime is gambling. He counts reading among his interests. They criticized the boy for his limited pursuits. | ||
Synonyms | pastime, pursuit | ||
Broader (hypernym) | diversion, recreation | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | avocation, by-line, hobby, pursuit, sideline, spare-time activity | ||
English verb: interest | |||
1. | interest (emotion) excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | arouse, elicit, enkindle, evoke, fire, kindle, provoke, raise | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | absorb, engage, engross, fascinate, grip, occupy, spellbind, transfix | ||
Antonyms | bore, tire | ||
2. | interest (stative) be on the mind of | ||
Samples | I worry about the second Germanic consonant shift. | ||
Examples | The bad news will interest him | ||
Synonyms | concern, occupy, worry | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody | ||
3. | interest (stative) be of importance or consequence | ||
Samples | This matters to me!. | ||
Synonyms | matter to | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s somebody. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | bear on, come to, concern, have-to doe with, pertain, refer, relate, touch, touch on | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | fascinate, intrigue | ||