▪ I. † interess, n. Obs.
Also 5–6 enteres(se, en-, intresse.
[ME. and AF. interesse, a. med.L. interesse compensation for loss, compensatory payment, n. use of L. interesse to be between, to differ, make a difference, to concern, be of importance. Cf. Pr., It., Ger. interesse, Sp. interes n.; the OF. n. was interest: see interest n.]
1. The relation of being legally concerned or having part (in the ownership or possession of anything); legal concern, title, or claim; = interest n. 1.
| [1387–8 Rolls Parlt. III. 246/2 Si ascun pretende d'avoir droit ou interesse en ycelles [forfaitures], sue au Conseil si lui semble a faire.] 1430–1 Ibid. IV. 376/2 That..Proclamation be made..that alle ye persones yat pretende any interresse to object ayens yat partie yat pretendith hym to be mulire [etc.]. 1473 Sir J. Paston in P. Lett. No. 732 III. 100 That my moodre be agreable to the same, by cawse of th' entresse that she hathe for my brother William, whyche shall nott be off age thys vij. yeer. 1491 Act 7 Hen. VII, c. 2 §5 The right title and interesse that they..have in the same. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xx. 28 All rightis and enteresses that euery baron had in Scotlande, was than clene forgyuen. 1659 England's Conf. 6 The House of Commons..had..asserted their interess in the Militia. |
b. transf. Concern, part, share in (anything). = interest n. 1 d, e.
| c 1374 Chaucer Fortune 71 The heuene hath proprete of sykyrnesse, This world hath euer resteles trauayle; Thy laste day is ende of myn intresse [v. rr. interesse, intersse, encresse] In general, this reule may nat fayle. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas Prol. 39 Though woe with ioye have an intresse. Ibid. i. i. (1544) 1 b, The soyle embroyded ful of sumer floures Where wedes wicked had none interesse. 1569 Murray in H. Campbell Love Lett. Mary Q. Scots (1824) 58 The trial of the said Quenis interes in the murder of the King our soverane Lordis father. 1663 Bp. Patrick Parab. Pilgr. (1667) 287 There he found a discourse of the Nature of Ioy..of the Interess that our Animal Spirits have in it. |
2. The relation of advantage or profit; benefit; = interest n. 2, 2 b.
| 1452 Rich. Dk. York Charges agst. Dk. Somerset (MS. Cott. Vesp. C. xiv. lf. 40) For the grete welfare and the comen availle and interesse of your mageste Roiall and of this youre noble roialme. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xiv. §11 Such oftentimes is the corruption of humane nature, that it will..thrust the pietie due to our Countrey vnder the inferiour respect of particular interesses. 1613 Sherley Trav. Persia 83 To embarke you in dangerous enterprises for others interesses. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 120 In a noble minde one generous act prevailes more than all wordly interesses. 1657 Heylin Hist. Ref. I. ii. iii. 32 That they should lay aside their particular interesses, to center all together upon one design. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. ii. §21. 84 That it is also the Interess of Civil Sovereigns and of all Common-wealths, that there should neither be Deity nor Religion, the Democritick Atheists would perswade in this manner. |
b. Self-interest; = interest n. 5.
| 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. v. 847 These are the men, who afterwards Argue from Interesse also against a God and Religion. |
3. Injury; compensation for injury; = interest n. 9. [Cf. med.L. damna et interesse, F. dommages et intérêts.]
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. iii. xi. 191 He is holden as he was byfore to suche damages and Interesses that he hathe doon unto hym by wronge hande. |
4. Interest on money, usury; = interest n. 10.
| 1529 Hen. VIII Instruct. Orator Rome (MS. Cott. Vit. B. xi. lf. 74 b), Which money..shalbe truely repayde with interesse. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. Luke xix. 153 He..would haue streightely required it together with the encrease of entresse. 1716 Let. to Dk. Montrose 19 Nov. in Scott Rob Roy Introd., He carries..my books and bonds for entress, not yet paid, along with him. |
▪ II. † inteˈress, v. Obs.
Pa. pple. interessed, -est.
[f. interess n.: cf. F. intéresser to invest with a share, etc.; earlier, to injure, hurt, damage (15th c. in Godef.), f. L. interesse.]
1. trans. To invest (a person) with a right to or share in something; to admit to a privilege; = interest v. 1. Chiefly in pass., to be interessed, to have a right or share.
| 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. (1807) II. 35 The sonnes of king Malcolme were aided..to obteine the crowne of Scotland, whereunto they were interessed. 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. Epit. (1612) 378 Who..disclaiming all other Titles as litigious, interessed himselfe here by the only Title of Conquerour. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. i. 87 To whose yong loue, The Vines of France, and Milke of Burgundie, Striue to be interest. 1617 Hieron Wks. II. 102 Man, in his first estate..was in fauour with God, and interessed into the attendance of angels. 1657 Austen Fruit Trees ii. 59 The soule sees it selfe interessed in the kingdome and all the riches and treasures of it. 1674 Playford Skill Mus. I. xi. 47 To teach them to those who have been interessed in my house. |
2. To cause to be objectively concerned; to affect, implicate, to involve; = interest v. 2. Chiefly in pass.
| 1570 Earl Lennox Let. in H. Campbell Love Lett. Mary Q. Scots (1824) 229 Hir richt dewtie to ȝow and me, being the parteis interest. 1617 J. Woodford in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 199 [This] could not be done without interessing the honour of some, which was not to be touched. 1622 E. Misselden Free Trade 89 In the East India Action certainely the Kings Honour is interessed. 1627 Lisander & Cal. iii. 50 A suspicion that she was interest in the discourse. 1663 Boyle Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos. ii. ii. 30 Being unwilling to interesse the reputation of Holy Writ..in the doubtful contentions of Naturalists. |
3. To affect injuriously; to injure, endamage.
| 1598 R. Grenewey Tacitus' Ann. iii. ii. (1622) 66 Whereof being conuicted, he could not be interessed, if he could purge himselfe of the latter crimes. 1599 Burgh Rec. Aberdeen (Spald. Cl.) II. 181 Dyvers of the cuntriemen and of the inhabitantis of this burght ar grytumlie intrest in the wynter day, throw the insufficiencie and hoillis in the said calsey. 1607 E. Grimstone tr. Goulart's Mem. Hist. 127 [She] was found interessed in the heart with certaine imposthumes and two stones. |
4. To cause to take an active part, to rouse to action, to engage; refl. to take part (F. s'intéresser); = interest v. 4.
| 1623 Massinger Dk. Milan i. i, The wars so long continued..Have interess'd, in either's cause, the most Of the Italian princes. 1693 Dryden Juvenal Ded. (1697) 17 He might have gain'd the Victory for us Christians, without interessing Heaven in the Quarrel. 1711 Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) II. iii. ii. 416 That which interesses and engages men as Good. |
5. To affect with a feeling of concern; refl. To concern oneself. pass. To be concerned.
| 1664 Marvell Corr. Wks. 1872–5 II. 173 No Prince in Christendom doth interess Himself more in your Majestie's health..than my Master. 1697 Dryden æneid Ded., To love our native country..to be interessed in its concerns, is natural to all men. |
Hence † inteˈressing vbl. n., admitting (into a position, etc.).
| a 1655 Vines Lord's Supp. (1677) 342 The interessing of Christ into pre-eminence. |