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Inquire vs Interest - What's the difference?

inquire | interest |

As verbs the difference between inquire and interest

is that inquire is (lb) to ask (about something) while interest is to engage the attention of; to awaken interest in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing.

As a noun interest is

.

inquire

English

Alternative forms

* enquire (chiefly British)

Verb

(intransitive'' or ''transitive )
  • (lb) To ask (about something).
  • To make an inquiry or an investigation.
  • *
  • *:"A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day.A strong man—a strong one; and a heedless." ¶ "Of what party is he?" she inquired , as though casually.
  • Usage notes

    * In British English, the spelling enquire' is more common, with '''inquire''' often reserved for official inquests. In Canada and the US, both spellings are acceptable, though ' inquire is favored.

    Synonyms

    * (l)

    Derived terms

    * inquire after * inquire of

    See also

    * inquest * inquisition * inquisitive * inquisitor English reporting verbs ----

    interest

    English

    Alternative forms

    * enterest * (l) (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (label) A great attention and concern from someone or something; intellectual curiosity.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=10 , passage=The skipper Mr. Cooke had hired at Far Harbor was a God-fearing man with a luke warm interest 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.}}
  • * , chapter=1
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=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 an interest in your underpinning.”}}
  • (label) Attention that is given to or received from someone or something.
  • * , chapter=7
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=[…] 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 lively interest from a stranger's mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Standing orders , passage=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.}}
  • (label) A business or amorous link or involvement.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author= Chico Harlan
  • , volume=189, issue=2, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Japan pockets the subsidy , passage=Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."}}
  • (label) Something one is interested in.
  • Injury, or compensation for injury; damages.
  • *, II.12:
  • How can this infinite beauty, power and goodnes admit any correspondencie or similitude with a thing so base and abject as we are, without extreme interest and manifest derogation from his divine greatnesse?
  • The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively.
  • Synonyms

    * (fraction of the amount or value of what was borrowed) cost of money

    Derived terms

    (Financial terms) * accrued interest * beneficial interest * capitalized interest * carried interest * compound interest * consumer interest * controlling interest * defered interest bond * earnings before interest and taxes * exact interest * imputed interest * indication of interest * insurable interest * interest-bearing * interest cover * interest expense * interest rate * interest-sensitive * minority interest * nominee interest * open interest * ordinary interest * pooling of interest * prepaid interest * security interest * short interest * simple interest * true interest cost * unearned interest (Non-financial terms) * by-interest * conflict of interest * future interest * human interest * interest group * legal interest * life interest * love interest * marine interest * place of interest * public interest * royalty interest * self-interest * special interest * terminable interest * undivided interest * vested interest * working interest

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To engage the attention of; to awaken interest in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing.
  • It might interest you to learn that others have already tried that approach.
    Action films don't really interest me.
  • To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite.
  • * Ford
  • Or rather, gracious sir, / Create me to this glory, since my cause / Doth interest this fair quarrel.
  • (obsolete) To cause or permit to share.
  • * Hooker
  • 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.

    Antonyms

    * bore * disinterest

    Derived terms

    * interested * interesting

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----