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Attention:

attention deficit disorder: (abbreviated ADD) became a diagnosis in the third edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (1980); expanded to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ("the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone;" ADHD) in DSM-III (1987).
attention: late 14c., "giving heed," from L. attentionem (nom. attentio) "attention, attentiveness," noun of action from pp. stem of attendere "mental heeding" (see attend). Used with a remarkable diversity of verbs (e.g. pay, gather, attract, draw, call). As a military cautionary word preparative to giving a command, it is attested from 1792.
achtung: German word used to command attention, from Ger. achtung, from acht (n.) "attention, care, heed, consideration," achten (v.) "pay attention to, regard, esteem, respect," from O.H.G. ahton "pay attention to," a general Germanic word akin to O.E. eahtian "to estimate, esteem, consider, praise," but with no living descendants in English.
intend: c.1300, "direct one's attention to," from O.Fr. intendre "to direct one's attention," from L. intendere "turn one's attention, strain," lit. "stretch out, extend," from in- "toward" + tendere "to stretch" (see tenet). Sense of "have as a plan" (late 14c.) was present in Latin. A Germanic word for this was ettle, from O.N. ætla "to think, conjecture, propose," from P.Gmc. *ahta "consideration, attention" (cf. O.E. eaht, Ger. acht). Intended (n.) "one's intended husband or wife" is from 1767.
hi: greeting, 1862, Amer.Eng. (first recorded reference is to speech of a Kansas Indian), originally to attract attention, probably a variant of M.E. hy, hey (late 15c.) also an exclamation to call attention. Extended form hiya attested from 1940.
ho: exclamation of surprise, etc., c.1300; as an exclamation calling attention, early 15c. Used after the name of a place to which attention is called (cf. Westward-Ho) it dates from 1590s, originally a cry of boatmen, etc., announcing departures for a particular destination. Ho-ho-ho expressing laughter is recorded from mid-12c.
yoo-hoo: exclamation to call attention, 1924.
amusement: 1640s, "diversion of attention," especially in military actions, from Fr. amusement, noun of action from amuser (see amuse).
The Trumpets and Kettle-drums, which by way of Amusement had been sent out of that place the Night before. ["Memoirs of Emeric Count Teckely," 1693]
Meaning "a pastime, play, game, anything which pleasantly diverts the attention" (from duty, work, etc.) is from 1670s, originally depreciative; meaning "pleasurable diversion" attested from 1690s. Amusement park is first recorded 1909.
ahem: attention-getting interjection, 1763, lengthened from hem, imitative of clearing the throat.
red herring: "smoked herring" early 15c. (they turn red when cured). Supposedly used by fugitives to put bloodhounds off the scent (1680s), hence metaphoric sense (1884) of "something used to divert attention from the basic issue."
poinsettia: 1836, Mod.L. genus name, in allusion to Joel R. Poinsett (1779-1851), U.S. ambassador to Mexico, who is said to have brought the plant to the attention of botanists.
oi: 1962, vulgar or working class pronunciation of hoy a call or shout to attract attention.
love bird: 1590s, "small species of W.African parrot, noted for the remarkable attention mating pairs pay to one another;" figurative sense of "a lover" is attested from 1911.
Hold hands, you lovebirds. [Emil Sitka]
hallo: shout to call attention, 1781, earlier hollo, holla (see hello).
visibility: 1581, "condition of being seen," from L.L. visibilitas (see visible). Meaning "range of vision under given conditions" is from 1914. Sense of "prominence, fame, public attention" is recorded from 1958.
holla: as a command to “stop, cease,” 1520s, from Fr. holà (15c.). As a command to get attention, from 1580s. As an urban slang form of holler and meening “greet, shout out to,” it was in use by 2003.
limelight: 1826, popular name for Drummond light, a brilliant light created by the incandescence of lime (1), adopted for lighthouses and later for the Victorian stage, where it illuminated the principal actors, hence the figurative sense of "on stage, at the center of attention" (1877).
indri: 1839, European name for the babakoto, a lemur-like arboreal primate of Madagascar (Indris Lichanotus); the name given in error by Fr. naturalist Sonnerat, c.1780, from mistaken use of Malagasy indry! "look! See!" Evidently this was what his native guides said when the spotted the creature and called his attention to it.
incurious: 1560s, “negligent, heedless,” from L. incuriosus “careless, unconcerned,” from in- “not” + curiosus (see curious). Meaning “uninquisitive” is from 1610s. Objective sense of “unworthy of attention” is from 1747.
whoa: 1620s, a cry to call attention from a distance, a variant of who. As a command to stop a horse, it is attested from 1843, a variant of ho. As an expression of delight or surprise (1980s) it has gradually superseded wow, which was very popular 1960s.
rivet (n.): c.1400, from O.Fr. rivet, possibly from M.Du. wriven "turn, grind." The English word may be directly from M.Du. The verb is attested from early 15c. Meaning "to command the attention" is from c.1600; riveting (adj.) in this sense is from 1854.
stunt (n.): "feat to attract attention," 1878, Amer.Eng. college sports slang, of uncertain origin. Speculated to be a variant of colloq. stump "dare, challenge" (1871), or of Ger. stunde, lit. "hour." The movie stunt man is attested from 1930.
hey: call to attract attention, early 13c., possibly a natural expression (cf. Roman eho, Gk. eia, Ger. hei).
advertisement: mid-15c., "written statement calling attention to" something, "public notice" (of anything, but often of a sale); from Fr. avertissement, from stem of avertir (see advertise). Meaning "public notice" (usually paid), the main modern sense, emerged 1580s and was fully developed by 18c.
upstage: 1918 (adj.), 1921 (v.); the notion is of drawing attention to oneself (and away from a fellow actor) by moving upstage -- to the rear of the stage -- so that the other actor must face away from the audience. The noun upstage "back of the stage" is recorded from 1870.
industrious: "characterized by energy, effort, and attention," 1550s, from Fr. industrieux, from L. industriosus, from industria (see industry). Retains the etymological sense. Related: Industriousness.
puss (1): "cat," 1520s, but probably much older than the record, perhaps imitative of the hissing sound commonly used to get a cat's attention. A conventional name for a cat in Germanic languages and as far off as Afghanistan; it is the root of the principal word for "cat" in Romanian (pisica) and secondary words in Lithuanian (puz), Low German (puus), Swedish dialect katte-pus, etc.
inattention: 1710, from in- (1) + attention.
sic: 1887, insertion in printed quotation to call attention to error in the original, from L. sic "so, thus," related to si "if," from PIE base *so- "this, that" (cf. O.E. sio "she").
lovemaking: "courtship," mid-15c., from love (n.) + make. Phrase make love is attested from 1570s in the sense "pay amorous attention to;" as a euphemism for "have sex," it is attested from c.1950.
amuse: late 15c., from M.Fr. amuser "divert, cause to muse," from a "at, to" (but here probably a causal prefix) + muser "ponder, stare fixedly." Sense of "divert from serious business, tickle the fancy of" is recorded from 1630s, but through 18c. the primary meaning was "deceive, cheat" by first occupying the attention. Bemuse retains more of the original meaning.
ignore: 1610s, "not to know, to be ignorant of," from Fr. ignorer, from L. ignorare "not to know, disregard," from ignarus "not knowing, unaware" (see ignorant). Sense of "pay no attention to" first recorded 1801 and not common until c.1850. Related: Ignored; ignoring.
gumption: 1719, Scottish, "common sense, shrewdness," also "drive, initiative," possibly connected with M.E. gome "attention, heed," from O.N. gaumr "heed." Originally "common sense, shrewdness," sense of "initiative" is first recorded 1812.
emergency: "unforeseen occurrence requiring immediate attention," 1630s, from L. emergens, prp. of emergere (see emerge). Or from emerge + -ency.
entente: 1854, from Fr. éntente "understanding," from O.Fr. entente "intent" (12c.), properly fem. pp. of entendre "to direct one's attention (see intent). Political sense arose in 19c. from entente cordial (1844), the best-known example being that between England and France (1904), to which Russia was added in 1908.
attendance: late 14c., from O.Fr. atendance "attention, wait, hope, expectation," from atendant, prp. of atendre (see attend). Meaning "action of waiting on someone" dates from late 14c. (to dance attendance on someone is from 1560s); that of "action of being present, presenting oneself" (originally with intent of taking a part) is from mid-15c.
inadvertence: 1560s, from Scholastic L. inadvertentia, from in- “not” (see in- (1)) + advertentia, from L. advertere "to direct one's attention to," lit. "to turn toward" (see advertise).
why: O.E. hwi, instrumental case (showing for what purpose or by what means) of hwæt (see what), from P.Gmc. *khwi (cf. O.S. hwi, O.N. hvi), from PIE *qwei, locative of *qwo- "who" (cf. Gk. pei "where"). As an interjection of surprise or to call attention to a statement, recorded from 1519.
careful: O.E. cearful "mournful, sad," also "full of care or woe; anxious; full of concern" (for someone or something), thus "applying attention, painstaking, circumspect;" from care (n.) + -ful. Related: Carefully (O.E. carful-lice).
obey: late 13c., from O.Fr. obeir, from L. oboedire "obey, pay attention to, give ear," lit. "listen to," from ob "to" + audire "listen, hear" (see audience). Same sense development is in cognate O.E. hiersumnian.
curiosity: late 14c., "careful attention to detail," also "desire to know or learn" (originally usually in a bad sense), from O.Fr. curiosete "curiosity, avidity, choosiness" (Mod.Fr. curiosité), from L. curiositatem (nom. curiositas) "desire of knowledge, inquisitiveness," from curiosus (see curious). Neutral or good sense is from early 17c. Meaning "an object of interest" is from 1640s.
intent (n.): "purpose," early 13c., from O.Fr. entente, from L.L. intentus "attention," from L. intentus (fem. intentia), pp. of intendere "stretch out, lean toward, strain," lit. "stretched out" (see intend). Intentionally "on purpose" is from 1660s.
oyez: early 15c., from Anglo-Fr. oyez "hear ye!" (late 13c., O.Fr. oiez), a cry uttered (usually thrice) to call attention, from L. subjunctive audiatis, pl. imperative of audire "to hear" (Anglo-Fr. oier; see audience).
observance: early 13c., "act performed in accordance with prescribed usage," esp. a religious or ceremonial one," from O.Fr. observance, from L. observantia "act of keeping customs, attention," from observantem (nom. observans), prp. of observare (see observe). Observance is the attending to and carrying out of a duty or rule. Observation is watching, noticing.
sheen: 1602 (first attested in "Hamlet" iii.2), noun use of adj. sheene "beautiful, bright," from O.E. scene, from P.Gmc. *skauniz (cf. O.H.G. skoni, Ger. schön, O.Fris. skene, M.Du. scone, Du. schoon, Goth. skaunja "beautiful"), from PIE base *skeue- "to pay attention, perceive" (see caveat).
necessity: late 14c., from Fr. necessité (12c.), from L. necessitatem (nom. necessitas) "compulsion, need for attention," from necesse (see necessary). To maken vertu of necessite is in Chaucer.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention. [Richard Franck, c.1624-1708, English author and angler, "Northern Memoirs," 1658]
Related: Necessities.
remark (v.): 1630s, "to mark out, distinguish" modeled on Fr. remarquer "to mark, note, heed," from M.Fr. re-, intensive prefix, + marquer "to mark," probably from a Gmc. source, cf. O.H.G. marchon "to delimit" (see mark). Meaning "make a comment" is first attested 1690s, from notion of "make a verbal observation" or "call attention to specific points." Related: Remarked; remarking. The noun is from 1650s.
tassel: c.1300, "mantle fastener," from O.Fr. tassel "a fastening, clasp" (mid-12c.), from V.L. *tassellus, said to be from L. taxillus "small die or cube," a dim. of talus "knucklebone, ankle" (see talus (1)). But OED finds this doubtful and calls attention to the variant form tossel and suggests association with toss (v.). Meaning "hanging bunch of small cords" is first recorded late 14c.
animadversion: 1590s, "criticism, blame," also sometimes in early use simply "notice, attention" (now obs.), from L. animadversionem (nom. animadversio) "perception, observation," noun of action from animadverte "to take cognizance of," lit. "to turn the mind to," from animum, accusative of animus "mind," + advertere "to turn to" (see advertise). The sense of "to take notice of as a fault" was in L., in fact animadverto at times was a euphemism for "to punish with death."
medical: 1640s, from Fr. médical, from L.L. medicalis "of a physician," from L. medicus "physician" (n.); "healing" (adj.), from mederi "to heal, give medical attention to, cure," originally "know the best course for," from an early specialization of the PIE base *med- "to measure, limit, consider, advise" (cf. Gk. medomai "be mindful of," Avestan vi-mad- "physician," L. meditari "reflect on," Ir. miduir "judge"); see meditation.