concern definition

English concern definition

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French concerner, from Medieval Latin concernō, concernere (“I distinguish, have respect to”), from Latin concernō (“I mix, sift, or mingle together, as in a sieve”), combined form of con- + cernō (“distinguish”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /kənˈsɝn/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kənˈsɜːn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)n
• Hyphenation: con‧cern

Noun

concern (countable and uncountable, plural concerns)

1. That which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone.

   Synonym: interest

   Antonym: unconcern

   Mark’s health was of great concern to Connie.

   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

     We drove back to the office with some concern on my part at the prospect of so large a case. Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke. He was dressed out in broad gaiters and bright tweeds, like an English tourist, and his face might have belonged to Dagon, idol of the Philistines.

   • 2011 April 10, Alistair Magowan, “Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport:

     Although the encounter was bathed in sunshine, the match failed to reach boiling point but that will be of little concern to Gerard Houllier’s team, who took a huge step forward before they face crucial matches against their relegation rivals.

2. The placement of interest or worry on a subject.

   Most people in Australia have no concern for the recent events in London.

3. A worry; a sense that something may be wrong; an identification of a possible problem.

   Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the document.

4. The expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person.

   Judy's eyes filled with concern as she listened to the news report.

   • 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 22, in The Dust of Conflict‎^[1]:

     Appleby […] rose from his seat when Morales came in. He shook hands urbanely, unbuckled his sword, and laid his kepi on the table, and then sat down with an expression of concern in his olive face which Appleby fancied was assumed.

6. A business, firm or enterprise; a company.

   The employees’ attitude is really hurting the concern.

   a going concern

   • 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 198:

     Then I remembered there was a big concern, a Company for trade on that river.

   • 2001 November 18, Fouad Ajami, “What the Muslim World Is Watching”, in The New York Times‎^[2], retrieved 26 July 2014:

     Soon after he ascended the throne, an Arabic television joint venture between the BBC and a Saudi concern, Orbit Communications, foundered over the BBC’s insistence on editorial independence.

7. (programming) Any set of information that affects the code of a computer program.
   • 2006, Awais Rashid, Mehmet Aksit, Transactions on Aspect-Oriented Software Development II, page 148:

     At the programming level, an aspect is a modular unit that implements a concern.

Derived terms

• concern troll

Translations

Further reading

• “concern”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “concern”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Verb

concern (third-person singular simple present concerns, present participle concerning, simple past and past participle concerned)

1. (transitive) To relate or belong to; to have reference to or connection with; to affect the interest of; to be of importance to.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts xxviii:31:

     Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.

   • 1708, Joseph Addison, The Present State of the War, and the Necessity of an Augmentation:

     our wars with France have always affected us in our most tender interests, and concerned us more than those we have had with any other nation

   • 1821, James Fenimore Cooper, The Spy:

     ignorant, so far as the usual instruction was concerned

   • 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:

     As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very gladly make mine over to him if I could.

2. (transitive) To engage by feeling or sentiment; to interest.

   A good prince concerns himself in the happiness of his subjects.

   • a. 1729, John Rogers, A Sufficiency adjusted and recommended:

     They think themselves out the reach of Providence, and no longer concerned to solicit his favour.

   • 1935, George Goodchild, chapter 3, in Death on the Centre Court:

     It had been his intention to go to Wimbledon, but as he himself said: “Why be blooming well frizzled when you can hear all the results over the wireless. And results are all that concern me. […]”

3. (transitive) To make somebody worried.

   I’m concerned that she’s becoming an alcoholic.

Synonyms

• (to be of importance to): See also Thesaurus:pertain

Derived terms

Translations

Dutch concern definition

Etymology

Borrowed from English concern.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔnˈsʏrn/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: con‧cern
• Rhymes: -ʏrn

Noun

concern n (plural concerns, diminutive concerntje n)

1. company, business, concern

Derived terms

• chemieconcern

Romanian concern definition

Etymology

Borrowed from English concern.

Noun

concern n (plural concerne)

1. concern (organization)

Declension