What does attention mean?

Definitions for attention
əˈtɛn ʃən; əˌtɛnˈʃʌnat·ten·tion

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word attention.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. attention, attendingnoun

    the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others

  2. care, attention, aid, tendingnoun

    the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

    "no medical care was required"; "the old car needs constant attention"

  3. attentionnoun

    a general interest that leads people to want to know more

    "She was the center of attention"

  4. attentionnoun

    a courteous act indicating affection

    "she tried to win his heart with her many attentions"

  5. attentionnoun

    the faculty or power of mental concentration

    "keeping track of all the details requires your complete attention"

  6. attentionnoun

    a motionless erect stance with arms at the sides and feet together; assumed by military personnel during drill or review

    "the troops stood at attention"

Wiktionary

  1. attentionnoun

    Mental focus.

    Please direct your attention to the following words.

  2. attentionnoun

    An action or remark expressing concern for or interest in someone or something, especially romantic interest.

  3. attentionnoun

    A state of alertness in the standing position.

    The company will now come to attention.

  4. attentioninterjection

    Used as a command to bring soldiers to the attention position.

  5. Etymology: From attencioun, from attentio, from attendere, past participle attentus; see attend.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Attentionnoun

    The act of attending or heeding; the act of bending the mind upon any thing.

    Etymology: attention, Fr.

    They say the tongues of dying men
    Inforce attention like deep harmony. William Shakespeare, Richard II.

    He perceived nothing but silence, and signs of attention to what he would further say. Francis Bacon, Holy War.

    But him the gentle angel by the hand
    Soon rais’d, and his attention thus recall’d. Par. Lost, b. xi.

    By attention the ideas, that offer themselves, are taken notice of, and, as it were, registered in the memory. John Locke.

    Attention is a very necessary thing; truth doth not always strike the soul at first sight. Isaac Watts, Improv. of the Mind.

Wikipedia

  1. Attention

    Attention is the behavioral and cognitive process of selectively concentrating on a discrete aspect of information, whether considered subjective or objective, while ignoring other perceivable information. William James (1890) wrote that "Attention is the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. Focalization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence." Attention has also been described as the allocation of limited cognitive processing resources. Attention is manifested by an attentional bottleneck, in terms of the amount of data the brain can process each second; for example, in human vision, only less than 1% of the visual input data (at around one megabyte per second) can enter the bottleneck, leading to inattentional blindness.Attention remains a crucial area of investigation within education, psychology, neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, and neuropsychology. Areas of active investigation involve determining the source of the sensory cues and signals that generate attention, the effects of these sensory cues and signals on the tuning properties of sensory neurons, and the relationship between attention and other behavioral and cognitive processes, which may include working memory and psychological vigilance. A relatively new body of research, which expands upon earlier research within psychopathology, is investigating the diagnostic symptoms associated with traumatic brain injury and its effects on attention. Attention also varies across cultures.The relationships between attention and consciousness are complex enough that they have warranted perennial philosophical exploration. Such exploration is both ancient and continually relevant, as it can have effects in fields ranging from mental health and the study of disorders of consciousness to artificial intelligence and its domains of research.

ChatGPT

  1. attention

    Attention is the mental faculty of selectively focusing on one aspect of the environment while ignoring others. It involves the ability to concentrate, process information, and perceive details effectively. Attention can be voluntary (directed) or involuntary (captured) and plays a significant role in cognitive processes such as learning, perception, and memory.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Attentionnoun

    the act or state of attending or heeding; the application of the mind to any object of sense, representation, or thought; notice; exclusive or special consideration; earnest consideration, thought, or regard; obedient or affectionate heed; the supposed power or faculty of attending

  2. Attentionnoun

    an act of civility or courtesy; care for the comfort and pleasure of others; as, attentions paid to a stranger

Wikidata

  1. Attention

    Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. Attention has also been referred to as the allocation of processing resources. Attention is one of the most intensely studied topics within psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Attention remains a major area of investigation within education, psychology and neuroscience. Areas of active investigation involve determining the source of the signals that generate attention, the effects of these signals on the tuning properties of sensory neurons, and the relationship between attention and other cognitive processes like working memory and vigilance. A relatively new body of research is investigating the phenomenon of traumatic brain injuries and their effects on attention. Attention also has variations amongst cultures.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Attention

    at-ten′shun, n. act of attending, as in to pay, give, call, or attract attention: steady application of the mind: heed: civility, courtesy: care.—interj. (mil.) a cautionary word used as a command to execute some manœuvre.—adj. Attent′ive, full of attention: courteous, mindful.—adv. Attent′ively.—n. Attenti′veness. [L. attention-emattend-ĕre. See Attend.]

The Roycroft Dictionary

  1. attention

    Concentration of the mind on whatever will ultimately put something in the pocket; hence, in law and politics, the frame-up.

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Attention

    Focusing on certain aspects of current experience to the exclusion of others. It is the act of heeding or taking notice or concentrating.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. attention

    A military word of command, calling the soldier from the quiescent position of "at ease" into readiness for any exercise or evolution. Also the erect posture due to that word of command, and which is assumed by a private soldier in the presence of an officer. The attending to signals.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. attention

    A cautionary command addressed to troops preparatory to a particular exercise or manœuvre. Gare-a-vous has the same signification in the French service.

Editors Contribution

  1. attention

    The ability and choice to focus on a specific purpose.

    The attention was focused on what they would like to achieve together as a united team.


    Submitted by MaryC on January 19, 2020  


  2. attention

    To listen with intent.

    Their attention was on what the farmers were saying to ensure they could suggest solutions for how to move forward together as one group and create a workable solution.


    Submitted by MaryC on January 19, 2020  

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'attention' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #691

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'attention' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1360

  3. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'attention' in Nouns Frequency: #299

How to pronounce attention?

How to say attention in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of attention in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of attention in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of attention in a Sentence

  1. April Coffey -LRB- center -RRB-:

    Malachi Coffey -LRB- right -RRB- keeps saying : ‘ I don’t understand why I ’m getting all of this attention. All I did was the right thing,' but I’ve told Malachi Coffey -LRB- right -RRB- that not everyone does the right thing, not everyone does something to save someone’s life.

  2. Leonard Wong:

    All activitiesare good, but some are better, for example, video games provide distraction, but sports provide distraction plus physical activity, a coach who cares, a team to share life with, and usually a parent’s attention as they get ferried to the sport.

  3. Timothy Bono:

    The beauty of a budding rosebud or a magnificent oak tree captures our attention and can provide peaceful diversion from our otherwise busy, stressful and fast-paced lives, if we're feeling down and unmotivated, a simple 10-minute walk outside may be just what we need to elevate our mood and catch a second wind for the work we have remaining in the day.

  4. United States:

    For much of 2018, the United States economy has been oblivious to a turn in the global economic cycle, this week has seen the SP, and the Nasdaq, sit up and pay attention to what's going on.

  5. Koji Fukaya:

    How the speculative positions are handled will depend how much the market factors in a September rate hike after the Fed meeting, i don't see big dollar longs being added even if the Fed hints of a September hike, because current positions already look stretched. But we have to remember that going long on the dollar is the current trend. With euro/dollar plays possibly saturated, players are turning their attention to dollar/yen.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

attention#1#1836#10000

Translations for attention

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"attention." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/attention>.

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