vest

[ vest ]

noun

1. a close-fitting, waist-length, sleeveless garment that buttons down the front, designed to be worn under a jacket.
2. a part or trimming simulating the front of such a garment; vestee. Compare dickey ¹( def 1 ).
3. a waist-length garment worn for protective purposes:

   a bulletproof vest.

4. a sleeveless, waist- or hip-length garment made of various materials, with a front opening usually secured by buttons, a zipper, or the like, worn over a shirt, blouse, dress, or other article for style or warmth:

   a sweater vest; a down vest.

5. British. an undervest or undershirt.
6. a long garment resembling a cassock, worn by men in the time of Charles II.
7. Archaic.
   1. dress; apparel.
   2. an outer garment, robe, or gown.
   3. an ecclesiastical vestment.

verb (used with object)

1. to clothe; dress; robe.
2. to dress in ecclesiastical vestments:

   to vest a bishop.

3. to cover or drape (an altar).
4. to place or settle (something, especially property, rights, powers, etc.) in the possession or control of someone (usually followed by in ):

   to vest authority in a new official.

5. to invest or endow (a person, group, committee, etc.) with something, as powers, functions, or rights:

   to vest the board with power to increase production; to vest an employee with full benefits in the pension plan.

verb (used without object)

1. to put on vestments.
2. to become vested in a person, as a right.
3. to devolve upon a person as possessor; pass into possession or ownership.

vest

/ vɛst /

noun

1. an undergarment covering the body from the shoulders to the hips, made of cotton, nylon, etc US and Canadian equivalentT-shirtundershirt Austral equivalentsinglet
2. a similar sleeveless garment worn as outerwear Austral equivalentsinglet
3. a man's sleeveless waistlength garment worn under a suit jacket, usually buttoning up the front Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)waistcoat
4. obsolete.
   any form of dress, esp a long robe

verb

1. trfoll byin to place or settle (power, rights, etc, in)

   power was vested in the committee

2. trfoll bywith to bestow or confer (on)

   the company was vested with authority

3. usually foll by in to confer (a right, title, property, etc, upon) or (of a right, title, etc) to pass (to) or devolve (upon)
4. tr to clothe or array
5. intr to put on clothes, ecclesiastical vestments, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈvestˌlike, adjective
• ˈvestless, adjective

Other Words From

• vestless adjective
• vestlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vest¹

1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English < Italian veste robe, dress < Latin vestis garment; (v.) late Middle English < Middle French vestir < Latin vestīre to clothe, derivative of vestis; akin to wear

Word History and Origins

Origin of vest¹

C15: from Old French vestir to clothe, from Latin vestīre, from vestis clothing

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. play it close to the vest, Informal. to avoid taking unnecessary risks.

Example Sentences

Kelsey Lindsey, associate editorIn 2016, I was shamed by a buddy for wearing a running vest during a race with aid stations.

From Outside Online

Yes, $199 is a lot for a vest, but the Approach is worth it because it’s the only one you’ll need this winter.

From Outside Online

If you’re an employee at a chain, it doesn’t matter what logo is on your vest—your job is not assured.

From Fortune

We rounded up some of the best weighted vests on the market.

From Popular-Science

Simply slip on the vest as you go about your usual activities—whether that’s a casual walk in the park or an intense cardio session—and you’ll torch more calories, while building up endurance.

From Popular-Science

He wore white gloves, a dignified long black coat, and matching pants and vest, and he carried a dark walking stick.

From The Daily Beast

Other officials told reporters that searchers also spotted a life vest and baggage in the water.

From The Daily Beast

One is reported to have blown himself up, along with many victims, but detonating a suicide vest.

From The Daily Beast

In the most recent image posted by her mother, Kristina is wearing a black vest over her skinny shoulders.

From The Daily Beast

The news reports quoted him as saying he wore the vest to celebrate Sunday Mass in Apatzingán.

From The Daily Beast

In a short time the pockets were all as full as they could hold—coat, vest, and trousers.

From Project Gutenberg

Ward sat back in his swivel chair, hooked his thumbs into the arm holes of his vest and beamed.

From Project Gutenberg

He took one up, eased a stray safety match from his vest pocket, flicked it with his fingernail, and lit up.

From Project Gutenberg

Ghurri-Wurri wore tattered white baggy trousers, vest and cloak, a turban and black goggles.

From Project Gutenberg

It is of carmine silk damask with gold thread, and the inner vest is of white lawn.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bestow
• confer
• empower
• endow

More About Vest

What is a basic definition of vest?

A vest is an article of clothing worn on the upper body, with no sleeves and with buttons down the front. The word vest is also used generally to refer to any similar garment. As a verb, vest means to put something in the possession of another person. Vest has several other senses as a noun and a verb.

In the United States, the word vest refers to a sleeveless garment usually worn over a shirt and sometimes under a jacket. A vest is generally not supposed to be worn by itself.

• Real-life examples: The Disney cartoon character Goofy usually wears a black or brown vest over an orange shirt. If you wear a tuxedo, you will often wear a vest with it.
• Used in a sentence: A man’s three-piece suit includes a suit coat, vest, and trousers.

The word vest is also used to refer to other garments that lack sleeves and end at the waist.

• Real-life examples: Police officers wear bulletproof vests for protection. Airplanes, boats, and public pools keep life vests available to keep people from drowning. Hunters wear hunting vests with many pockets to store supplies.
• Used in a sentence: The professor could always be seen smoking a pipe and wearing a sweater vest.

As a verb, vest means to give power, rights, or responsibility to another person. This sense of vest is usually written as “vest in.”

• Real-life example: Most Americans are likely familiar with this sense of vest if they have attended a wedding: A religious figure will alert the attendees that a state has vested in them the power and authority to join people in a legally recognized marriage.
• Used in a sentence: Executive power is vested in the President through the Constitution.

Where does vest come from?

The first records of the noun vest come from around 1375. It ultimately comes from the Latin vestis, meaning “garment.” The verb vest comes from the Latin vestīre, meaning “to clothe.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to vest?

• vested (adjective, past tense verb)
• vestless (adjective)
• vestlike (adjective)

What are some synonyms for vest?

• authorize
• entrust
• bestow
• empower

What are some words that share a root or word element with vest? 

• vestment
• invest

What are some words that often get used in discussing vest?

• clothing
• jacket
• suit
• sweater
• bulletproof
• life

How is vest used in real life?

Vest is most often used to mean an article of clothing.

First thing I do when this is all over is buy myself a fancy cocktail made by a man in a vest

— Lady WhistleDiep (aka Diep Tran) (@diepthought) April 20, 2020

Watching Back to the Future, and seriously considering wearing my Marty McFly orange vest from Halloween to work. So ugly, yet so awesome.

— TJ Fixman (@TJFixman) January 20, 2012

Based on the power vested in me under Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended), I, today, signed into law Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 for the implementation of Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary.

— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) May 22, 2020

Try using vest!

True or False?

A vest is an article of clothing that stops at the waist, has long sleeves, and is usually buttoned down the front.