invest

[ in-vest ]

verb (used with object)

1. to put (money) to use, by purchase or expenditure, in something offering potential profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.
2. to use (money), as in accumulating something:

   to invest large sums in books.

3. 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.

4. to furnish with power, authority, rank, etc.:

   The Constitution invests the president with the power of veto.

5. to furnish or endow with a power, right, etc.; vest:

   Feudalism invested the lords with absolute authority over their vassals.

6. to endow with a quality or characteristic:

   to invest a friend with every virtue.

7. to infuse or belong to, as a quality or characteristic:

   Goodness invests his every action.

8. Metallurgy. to surround (a pattern) with an investment.
9. to provide with the insignia of office.
10. to install in an office or position.
11. to clothe, attire, or dress.
12. to cover, adorn, or envelop:

    Spring invests the trees with leaves.

13. to surround (a place) with military forces or works so as to prevent approach or escape; besiege.

verb (used without object)

1. to invest money; make an investment:

   to invest in oil stock.

invest

/ ɪnˈvɛst /

verb

1. often foll by in to lay out (money or capital in an enterprise, esp by purchasing shares) with the expectation of profit
2. troften foll byin to devote (effort, resources, etc, to a project)
3. 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

4. troften foll byin to install formally or ceremoniously (in an official position, rank, etc)
5. 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

6. 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

7. poetic.
   trfoll bywith to cover or adorn, as if with a coat or garment

   when spring invests the trees with leaves

8. rare.
   tr to surround with military forces; besiege
9. informal.
   intrfoll byin to purchase; buy

Derived Forms

• inˈvestor, noun
• inˈvestable, adjective

Other Words From

• in·vestor noun
• nonin·vestor noun
• over·in·vest verb
• prein·vest verb (used with object)
• rein·vest verb (used with object)
• under·in·vest verb (used without object)
• under·in·vested adjective
• unin·vested adjective
• well-in·vested adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of invest¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of invest¹

C16: from Medieval Latin investīre to clothe, from Latin, from vestīre, from vestis a garment

Example Sentences

Now, safety-conscious diners are just as invested in where the food is served.

From Washington Post

Officials at GWU, which has made budget cuts during the pandemic, did not say how much it will cost to invest in plastic alternatives and install water-bottle refill stations in every campus building.

From Washington Post

They faced similar opportunities to heighten first-party insights, in light of the third-party cookie phase out, and with brands looking to invest more in multicultural messaging and corporate social responsibility.

From Digiday

This is in addition to the more than $800 million the company will have invested in associate wage increases from 2018 to 2020 — which are not one-time awards but lasting wage increases.

From Eater

The Big Three automaker has said it will invest $27 billion in electric vehicles and associated products from 2020 to 2025.

From Washington Post

The idea to invest in their own hair company came from Miko after seeing how clients at their salon responded to her natural hair.

From The Daily Beast

Others are here to invest in artists with promising reputations, and thus the possibility of future ROI.

From The Daily Beast

We should invest in new leaders, new conversations and new collaborations.

From The Daily Beast

I want to invest in the future and the Republicans are stuck in the past.

From The Daily Beast

“San Miguel is a very small place and when someone shows up to invest lots of money, everyone hears about it,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

Her clothes were good and new, but some desolate dressmaker had contrived to invest them with an air of hopeless dowdiness.

From Project Gutenberg

All things that could give solemnity to an observance unite to invest this with a devout character.

From Project Gutenberg

Those who can get enough to invest in an organ or a discordeon abandon the Bible business, which is not lucrative.

From Project Gutenberg

I suppose he's after your father again to sell his farm and invest the proceeds in the Indianapolis store.

From Project Gutenberg

The Pope wished to make Wolfe a bishop, and to invest him with all the pomp proper to a nuncio.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• devote
• lend
• provide
• spend
• supply