Englishfor English speakers
interest
Noun
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When someone wants to know more about something or likes to do something, we say the person has an interest in it.
She has a strong interest in art. She is going to go to an art school.
What are your interests?
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When something is important to a person, or if good things happening to the thing are good for the person, we say that the person has an interest in the thing.
Because I own a house on this street, I have an interest in keeping the street clean.
I'm doing this to look after my own interests.
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When someone borrows money, they have to give back more money than they borrowed. The extra money they have to pay is called interest.
The bank gives me two percent interest per year on the money in my account.
interest
Verb
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If someone is interested, they are curious and want to find out about something.
I am interested in researching flowers.
Does maths interest you?
rate
Noun
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Speed. A rate is how fast something happens. Something can go at a fast rate or a slow rate.
The rate of water pouring out of the lake into the river is enough to make the lake empty in a year if it doesn't rain.
Her heart rate is 70 beats every minute.
If we keep writing pages at this rate we might have 2000 Simple English Wiktionary words by August 4.
rate
Verb
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Someone rates something when they decide how much its value is (how much it's worth).
I rate this book at six out of ten: it was not the best book.
contract
Noun
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A contract is a legal agreement to trade goods, services and/or property. It's usually written down.
If you would just sign this contract, the car will be yours.
In Japan, most worker’s employment contracts last until the age of sixty.
My father’s employment contract is for forty years.
You must look over the contract before you sign it.
contract
Verb
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If something contracts, it gets smaller.
As the wood dries out, it contracts.
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If you contract someone to do a job, you enter into a contract with them.
We've contracted a cleaning company to take care of the office.
When there's too much work, there are a number of small firms to which we will contract it out.
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If you contract a disease, you become sick with it.
It's hard to understand why people risk contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
He contracted the flu.