The skipper Mr. Cooke had hired at Far Harbor was a God-fearing man with a luke warminterest in his new billet and employer, and had only been prevailed upon to take charge of the yacht after the offer of an emolument equal to half a year's sea pay of an ensign in the navy.
Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’ and if you don't look out there's likely to be some nice, lively dog taking aninterest in your underpinning.”
(uncountable) Attention that is given to or received from someone or something.
[…] St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge walls of factories, it at once banished livelyinterest from a stranger's mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.
2013 August 10, “Standing orders”, inThe Economist[1], volume408, number8848:
Over the past few years, however,interest has waxed again. A series of epidemiological studies, none big enough to be probative, but all pointing in the same direction, persuaded Emma Wilmot of the University of Leicester, in Britain, to carry out a meta-analysis. This is a technique that combines diverse studies in a statistically meaningful way.
2013 June 21, Chico Harlan, “Japan pockets the subsidy[…]”, inThe Guardian Weekly[2], volume189, number 2, page30:
Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had littleinterest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."
When scientists and doctors write articles and when politicians run for office, they are required in many countries to declare any existing conflicts ofinterest (competinginterests).
I have businessinterests in South Africa.
She has aninterest in the proceedings, and all stakeholders'interests must be protected.
(countable) Something which, or someone whom, one is interested in.
Lexicography is one of myinterests.
Victorian furniture is aninterest of mine.
The main character's romanticinterest will be played by a non-professional actor.
(uncountable) Condition or quality of exciting concern or being of importance.
How can this infinite beauty, power and goodnes admit any correspondencie or similitude with a thing so base and abject as we are, without extremeinterest and manifest derogation from his divine greatnesse?
(often in theplural) The persons and companies interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively.
2023, David Brandon,The General Strike 1926: A New History, Pen and Sword Books Ltd,→ISBN, page29:
The ‘RailwayInterest’ in Parliament constituted a very powerful lobby at this time [mid to late nineteenth century]. It was pledged to put the railway case forward in all matters involving that industry that came before Parliament. This body of MPs was composed of men who were nearly all railway directors or major shareholders. Their influence waned in the early twentieth century but earlier they formed a phalanx of robust opposition to just about every proposal for government regulation of matters pertaining to railways.
(historical, usually attributive) Agenre of factualshort films, generally more amusing than informative, especially those not covered by a more specific genre label.
1921 Davidson Boughey,The Film Industry (London : Sir Isaac Pitman)p. 76
Byinterest films is meant a variety of subjects which cannot be classified under such recognized headings as fiction, travel, or topical. They include wonderful inventions, little known industries, applied art, feats of engineering, and other events capable of effective illustration.
The arrangements made ensured that the total cost of censorship could be kept down to one-fifth of a penny per foot of film censored (and even one-tenth of a penny per foot in cases of Topical, Travel,Interest and Educational Films).
1939 March-April, J. Neill-Brown,"The Industry's Front Page"The Cine-Technician (London) Vol. 4 no. 20 p. 200
At the top of Charing Cross Road is the "Tatler," which has specialised for a long time in a general sort of program, built up of about 15 minutes of news, a cartoon (sometimes two), aninterest picture, occasionally a comedy, and nearly always a documentary.
The mystical communion of all faithful men is such as maketh every one to beinterested in those precious blessings which any one of them receiveth at God's hands.
