1. Excitement of feeling, whether pleasant or painful, accompanying special attention to some object; concern.
Interest expresses mental excitement of various kinds and degrees. It may be intellectual, or sympathetic
and emotional, or merely personal; as, an interest in philosophical research; an interest in human suffering; the
interest which an avaricious man takes in money getting.
So much interest have I in thy sorrow.
Shak.
2. Participation in advantage, profit, and responsibility; share; portion; part; as, an interest in a brewery; he
has parted with his interest in the stocks.
3. Advantage, personal or general; good, regarded as a selfish benefit; profit; benefit.
Divisions hinder the common interest and public good.
Sir W. Temple.
When interest calls of all her sneaking train.
Pope. 4. Premium paid for the use of money, — usually reckoned as a percentage; as, interest at five per cent
per annum on ten thousand dollars.
They have told their money, and let out
Their coin upon large interest.
Shak. 5. Any excess of advantage over and above an exact equivalent for what is given or rendered.
You shall have your desires with interest.
Shak. 6. The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively; as, the iron interest; the
cotton interest.
Compound interest, interest, not only on the original principal, but also on unpaid interest from the
time it fell due. — Simple interest, interest on the principal sum without interest on overdue interest.
Interested
(In"ter*est*ed) a. [See Interest, v. t.]
1. Having the attention engaged; having emotion or passion excited; as, an interested listener.
2. Having an interest; concerned in a cause or in consequences; liable to be affected or prejudiced; as, an
interested witness.
Interestedness
(In"ter*est*ed*ness), n. The state or quality of being interested; selfishness. Richardson.
Interesting
(In"ter*est*ing), a. Engaging the attention; exciting, or adapted to excite, interest, curiosity, or
emotion; as, an interesting story; interesting news. Cowper.
Interestingly
(In"ter*est*ing*ly), adv. In an interesting manner.
Interestingness
(In"ter*est*ing*ness), n. The condition or quality of being interesting. A. Smith.
Interfacial
(In`ter*fa"cial) a. (Geom.) Included between two plane surfaces or faces; as, an interfacial
angle.
Interfascicular
(In`ter*fas*cic"u*lar) a. (Anat.) Between fascicles or bundles; as, the interfascicular
spaces of connective tissue.
Interferant
(In`ter*fer"ant) n. (Law) One of the contestants in interference before the Patent Office.
[U.S.]
