draw interest
1. to appear interesting and get (someone's) attention. (Note the variation in the examples.) This kind of event isn't likely to draw a lot of interest. What kind of show will draw public interest?
2. [for money] to earn interest while on deposit. Put your money in the bank so it will draw interest. The cash value of some insurance policies also draws interest.
have a keen interest in something
to have a strong interest in something; to be very interested in something. Tom had always had a keen interest in music, so he started a band. The children have a keen interest in having apet, so I bought them a cat.
have someone's best interest(s) at heart
to make decisions based on someone's best interests. I know she was only doing what would benefit her, but she said she had my best interests at heart.
in one's (own) (best) interest(s)
to one's advantage; as a benefit to oneself. It is not in your own interests to share your ideas with Jack. He will say that they are his. Jane thought it was in the best interest of her friend to tell his mother about his illness.
in the interest of saving time
in order to hurry things along; in order to save time. Mary: In the interest of saving time, I'd like to save questions for the end of my talk. Bill: But I have an important question now! "In the interest of saving time," said Jane, "I'll give you the first three answers."
in the interest of someone or something
as an advantage or benefit to someone or something; in order to advance or improve someone or something. In the interest of health, people are asked not to smoke. The police imprisoned the suspects in the interest of the safety of the public.
interest someone in someone or something
to arouse the interest of someone in someone or something. Yes, lean recommend someone for you to hire. Could I interest you in Tom? He's one of our best workers. Can I interest you in checking out a book from the library?
interest someone in something
to cause someone to wish to purchase something. Could I interest you in something with a little more style to it? Can I interest you in some additional insurance on your life?
of interest (to someone)
interesting to someone. These archived files are no longer of any interest. This is of little interest to me.
pique someone's curiosity
and pique someone's interestto arouse interest; to arouse curiosity. The advertisement piqued my curiosity about the product. The professor tried to pique the students' interest in French literature.
take an interest in someone or something
to become concerned or interested in someone or something. Do you take an interest in your children? You should take an interest in everything your child does.
*vested interest (in something)
Fig. a personal or biased interest, often financial, in something. (*Typically: have ~; give someone ~.) Margaret has a vested interest in wanting her father to sell the family firm. She has shares in it and would make a large profit. Bob has a vested interest in keeping the village traffic-free. He has a summer home there.
in one's interest
Also, in the interest of one; in one's own interest; in one's best interest. For one's benefit or advantage, as in It's obviously in their interest to increase profits, or Is this policy in the interest of the townspeople? or I suspect it's in your own best interest to quit now. [Early 1700s]
take an interest
1. Be concerned or curious, as in She really takes an interest in foreign affairs, or I wish he'd take an interest in classical music.
2. Share in a right to or ownership of property or a business, as in He promised to take an interest in the company as soon as he could afford to.
vested interest
A personal stake in something, as in She has a vested interest in keeping the house in her name. This term, first recorded in 1818, uses vested in the sense of "established" or "secured."
with interest
With more than what one should receive, extra, and then some. For example, Mary borrowed Jane's new dress without asking, but Jane paid her back with interest-she drove off in Mary's car . This idiom alludes to interest in the financial sense. Its figurative use dates from the late 1500s.