interest

To love our native country . . . to be interested in its concerns is natural to all men. --Dryden.
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A goddess who used to interest herself in marriages. --Addison.
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2. To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite; -- often used impersonally. [Obs.]
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Or rather, gracious sir, Create me to this glory, since my cause
Doth interest this fair quarrel. --Ford.
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3. To cause or permit to share. Obs. [1913 Webster]

The mystical communion of all faithful men is such as maketh every one to be interested in those
precious blessings which any one of them receiveth
at God s hands. --Hooker.

Syn: To concern; excite; attract; entertain; engage; occupy; hold.
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Interest In"ter*est, n. interest, F. int[ er^et, fr. L. interest it interests, is of interest, fr. interesse to be
between, to be difference, to be importance; inter between +
esse to be; cf. LL. interesse usury. See {Essence}.]
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1. Excitement of feeling, whether pleasant or painful,
accompanying special attention to some object; concern; a
desire to learn more about a topic or engage often in an
activity.
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Note: 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.
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So much interest have I in thy sorrow. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. (Finance, Commerce) Participation in advantage, profit, and responsibility; share; portion; part; as, an interest
in a brewery; he has parted with his interest in the
stocks.
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3. Advantage, personal or general; good, regarded as a selfish benefit; profit; benefit.
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Divisions hinder the common interest and public good. --Sir W.
Temple.
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When interest calls of all her sneaking train. --Pope.
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4. (Finance) A fee paid for the use of money; a fee paid for a loan; -- usually reckoned as a percentage; as, interest
at five per cent per annum on ten thousand dollars.
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They have told their money, and let out Their coin upon large interest. --Shak.
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5. Any excess of advantage over and above an exact equivalent for what is given or rendered.
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You shall have your desires with interest. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively; as, the iron interest; the
cotton interest.
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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.
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Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English