invest
Americanverb (used with object)
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to put (money) to use, by purchase or expenditure, in something offering potential profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.
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to use (money), as in accumulating something.
to invest large sums in books.
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to use, give, or devote (time, talent, etc.), as for a purpose or to achieve something.
He invested a lot of time in cleaning up the neighborhood after the flood.
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to furnish with power, authority, rank, etc..
The Constitution invests the president with the power of veto.
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to furnish or endow with a power, right, etc.; vest.
Feudalism invested the lords with absolute authority over their vassals.
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to endow with a quality or characteristic.
to invest a friend with every virtue.
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to infuse or belong to, as a quality or characteristic.
Goodness invests his every action.
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Metallurgy. to surround (a pattern) with an investment.
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to provide with the insignia of office.
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to install in an office or position.
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to clothe, attire, or dress.
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to cover, adorn, or envelop.
Spring invests the trees with leaves.
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to surround (a place) with military forces or works so as to prevent approach or escape; besiege.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(often foll by in) to lay out (money or capital in an enterprise, esp by purchasing shares) with the expectation of profit
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to devote (effort, resources, etc, to a project)
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archaic (tr; often foll by in or with) to clothe or adorn (in some garment, esp the robes of an office)
to invest a king in the insignia of an emperor
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to install formally or ceremoniously (in an official position, rank, etc)
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(tr; foll by in or with) to place (power, authority, etc, in) or provide (with power or authority)
to invest new rights in the monarchy
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(tr; usually passive; foll by in or with) to provide or endow (a person with qualities, characteristics, etc)
he was invested with great common sense
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poetic to cover or adorn, as if with a coat or garment
when spring invests the trees with leaves
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rare (tr) to surround with military forces; besiege
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informal to purchase; buy
Other Word Forms
- investable adjective
- investor noun
- noninvestor noun
- overinvest verb
- preinvest verb (used with object)
- reinvest verb (used with object)
- underinvest verb (used without object)
- underinvested adjective
- uninvested adjective
- well-invested adjective
Etymology
Origin of invest
First recorded in 1525–35; from Old Italian investire, from Medieval Latin investīre “to install, invest (money), surround, clothe in,” Latin: “to clothe, deck, adorn,” equivalent to in- prefix + vestīre “to clothe, dress,” derivative of vestis “clothes, garment”; in- 2, vest
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They argue that with the dwindling number of cops, officials need to start investing more in community-led efforts that they say prioritize prevention over punishment and would go further in reducing crime.
From Los Angeles Times
Today’s companies investing in the buildout of AI infrastructure are mostly generating substantial free cash flow and funding growth organically.
From Barron's
The defeasance account manager collects this market value at settlement, and invests the proceeds in the appropriate U.S.
Their returns on invested capital are approaching those of the technology sector.
From Barron's
During his TV interview, Paul noted that investing in alternatives like Pokémon cards might have more relevance to younger people than the “traditional conservative environment” of the stock market.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
