\In"ter*est\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Interested}; p. pr.
& vb. n. {Interesting}.] [From interess'd, p. p. of the older
form interess, fr. F. int['e]resser, L. interesse. See
{Interest}, n.]
1. 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 love our native country . . . to be interested in
         its concerns is natural to all men.   --Dryden.
         A goddess who used to interest herself in marriages.
                                               --Addison.
2. To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern;
   to excite; -- often used impersonally. [Obs.]
         Or rather, gracious sir, Create me to this glory,
         since my cause Doth interest this fair quarrel.
                                               --Ford.
3. To cause or permit to share. [Obs.]
         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.

\In"ter*est\, n. [OF. interest, F. int['e]r[^e]t, 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}.]
1. Excitement of feeling, whether pleasant or painful,
   accompanying special attention to some object; concern.
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.
            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.