interesting
adjUK /ˈɪntɹəstɪŋ/ · US /ˈɪntəɹəstɪŋ/
Etymology From interest + -ing.
1
Obsolete Of concern; affecting, important.
- He indeed had good reason to be offended; for though Dr. Swinfen's motive was good, he inconsiderately betrayed a matter deeply interesting and of great delicacy, which had been entrusted to him in conference […].1791, James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck, edited by Robert William Chapman, Life of Samuel Johnson, Oxford University Press, published 2008, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 48:
2
Arousing or holding the attention or interest of someone.
- Cricket is not interesting to watch.
- Comics were just another form of entertainment to me, but it got to be more and more interesting every day.2015-11-22, Stan Lee, "Marvel's Stan Lee: 'I'd never really thought of doing comics for a living.'", The Guardian
3
Euphemistic Pregnant. (used with situation and condition)
- I found myself in a fair way of being a mother; and that I might be near my own relations, in such an interesting situation, I and my dear companion departed from H—n, not without great reluctance […].1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
- Mrs Lenville (who, as has been before hinted, was in an interesting state) rushed from the rear rank of ladies, and uttering a piercing scream threw herself upon the body.1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC:
1 more example
- I’m afraid I seem to make heavy weather of my interesting condition.1928, William Babington Maxwell, “Part II. Enid”, in We Forget Because We Must, A Story of Decades and Lustres, 1st edition, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Doran and Co., published 1928, →OCLC, page 45:
- Antonyms
- uninteresting, boring, soggy
- Derived terms
- interesting condition, interestingly, interestingness, interesting number paradox, interesting situation, make interesting, make it interesting, make things interesting, may you live in interesting times, noninteresting, superinteresting