interest

Universal Words noun, verb noun wanting to know more 1 [sing.,U] ~ (in sb/sth) the feeling that you have when you want to know or learn more about sb/sth: to feel / have / show / express (an) interest in sth * Do your parents take an interest in your friends? * By that time I had lost (all) interest in the idea. * I watched with interest. * As a matter of interest, (= I'd like to know) what time did the party finish? * Just out of interest, how much did it cost? compareDISINTEREST attraction 2 [U] the quality that sth has when it attracts sb's attention or makes them want to know more about it: There are many places of interest around Oxford. * The subject is of no interest to me at all. * These plants will add interest to your garden in winter. * This museum holds particular interest for geologists. seealsoHUMANINTEREST hobby 3 [C] an activity or a subject that you enjoy and that you spend your free time doing or studying: Her main interests are music and tennis. * He was a man of wide interests outside his work. compareHOBBY money 4 [U] ~ (on sth) (finance) the extra money that you pay back when you borrow money or that you receive when you invest money: to pay interest on a loan * The money was repaid with interest. * interest charges / payments * Interest rates have risen by 1%. * high rates of interest seealsoCOMPOUNDINTEREST, SIMPLEINTEREST advantage 5 [C,usually pl.,U] a good result or an advantage for sb/sth: to promote / protect / safeguard sb's interests * She was acting entirely in her own interests. * These reforms were in the best interests of local government. * It is in the public interest that these facts are made known. seealsoSELF-INTEREST share in business 6 [C,usually pl.] ~ (in sth) a share in a business or company and its profits: She has business interests in France. * American interests in Europe (= money invested in European countries) seealsoCONTROLLINGINTEREST connection 7 [C,U] ~ (in sth) a connection with sth which affects your attitude to it, especially because you may benefit from it in some way: I should, at this point, declare my interest. * Organizations have an interest in ensuring that employee motivation is high. compareDISINTEREST seealsoVESTEDINTEREST group of people 8 [C,usually pl.] a group of people who are in the same business or who share the same aims which they want to protect: powerful farming interests * relationships between local government and business interests * the activities of special interest groups IDIOMS have sb's interests at heart to want sb to be happy and successful even though your actions may not show this in the interest(s) of sth in order to help or achieve sth: In the interest(s) of safety, smoking is forbidden. to do sth (back) with interest to do the same thing to sb as they have done to you, but with more force, enthusiasm, etc. moreatCONFLICTn. verb ~ sb / yourself (in sth) to attract your attention and make you feel interested; to make yourself give your attention to sth: [VN] Politics doesn't interest me. * She has always interested herself in charity work. * The museum has something to interest everyone, young and old. * [VNtoinf] It may interest you to know that Andy didn't accept the job. PHRASALVERBS interest sb in sth to persuade sb to buy, do or eat sth: Could I interest you in this model, Sir?