different between interesting vs zestful

English

Etymology

From interest +? -ing.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??nt??st??/, /??nt??st??/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??nt???st??/, /??nt(?)??st??/, /??nt(?)??st??/, /??nt???st??/
• ,

Adjective

interesting (comparative more interesting, superlative most interesting)

1. (obsolete) Of concern; affecting, important.
   • 1791, James Boswell, Life of Johnson, Oxford 2008, p. 48:

     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 […] .

2. Arousing or holding the attention or interest of someone.
   • 2015-11-22, Stan Lee, "Marvel's Stan Lee: 'I'd never really thought of doing comics for a living.'", The Guardian:

     Comics were just another form of entertainment to me, but it got to be more and more interesting every day.

3. (euphemistic) Pregnant. [from 18th c.]
   • 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, vol. III, ch. 88:

     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 […] .

   • 1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby:

     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.

   • 1928, WB Maxwell, We Forget Because We Must:

     I'm afraid I seem to make heavy weather of my interesting condition.

Synonyms

• absorbing

Antonyms

• uninteresting
• boring

Derived terms

• interesting condition
• interestingly
• interestingness

Translations

Verb

interesting

1. present participle of interest

English

Etymology

zest +? -ful

Adjective

zestful (comparative more zestful, superlative most zestful)

1. Having a spirited love of life; ebullient.
   • 1957, Arthur Upfield, Bony Buys a Woman, London: Heinemann, 1967, Chapter 13, p. 117,^[1]

     Debonair youth! The spurs, the wide felt hat, the open shirt, the belt holding the array of small pouches, including a holstered revolver, the delight in the long stock-whip having a bright green silk cracker to produce loud reports, ranging from slow rifle fire to the rat-tat-tat of a machine-gun, all told the story of zestful youth.

2. Eager, enthusiastic.
   • 1933, H. G. Wells, The Shape of Things to Come, London: Hutchinson & Co., 1935, Book 1, § 10, p. 77,^[2]

     […] there appeared a narrowly patriotic government, which presently developed into an aggressive, vindictive and pitiless dictatorship, and set itself at once to the zestful persecution of the unfortunate ethnic minorities […]

   • 1968, Donald Barthelme, “The Dolt” in Sixty Stories, New York: Dutton, 1982, p. 94,^[3]

     […] the former priest, by now habituated to military life, and even zestful for it, enlisted under the new young king, with the rank of captain.

Derived terms

• zestfully
• zestfulness

Translations

Anagrams

• Fultzes, Zufelts