Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - attention

 noun  Etymology: Middle English attencioun, from Latin ~-, attentio, from attendere  Date: 14th century  1.  a. the act or state of attending especially through applying the mind to an object of sense or thought  b. a condition of readiness for such ~ involving especially a selective narrowing or focusing of consciousness and receptivity  2. observation, notice; especially consideration with a view to action a problem requiring prompt ~  3.  a. an act of civility or courtesy especially in courtship she welcomed his ~s  b. sympathetic consideration of the needs and wants of others ; attentiveness  4. a position assumed by a soldier with heels together, body erect, arms at the sides, and eyes to the front — often used as a command  • ~al adjective