VEST (vest)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: vest   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vest mean? 

• VEST (noun)
  The noun VEST has 2 senses:

1. a man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat

2. a collarless men's undergarment for the upper part of the body

  Familiarity information: VEST used as a noun is rare.

• VEST (verb)
  The verb VEST has 5 senses:

1. provide with power and authority

2. place (authority, property, or rights) in the control of a person or group of persons

3. become legally vested

4. clothe oneself in ecclesiastical garments

5. clothe formally; especially in ecclesiastical robes

  Familiarity information: VEST used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VEST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

vest; waistcoat

Hypernyms ("vest" is a kind of...):

garment (an article of clothing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "vest"):

bulletproof vest (a vest capable of resisting the impact of a bullet)

Holonyms ("vest" is a part of...):

three-piece suit (a business suit consisting of a jacket and vest and trousers)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A collarless men's undergarment for the upper part of the body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

singlet; undershirt; vest

Hypernyms ("vest" is a kind of...):

undergarment; unmentionable (a garment worn under other garments)

• VEST (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they vest    ... he / she / it vests   
Past simple: vested   
Past participle: vested   
-ing form: vesting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Provide with power and authority

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

enthrone; invest; vest

Context example:

They vested the council with special rights

Hypernyms (to "vest" is one way to...):

instal; install (put into an office or a position)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "vest"):

consecrate; ordain; order; ordinate (appoint to a clerical posts)

coronate; crown (invest with regal power; enthrone)

enthrone; throne (put a monarch on the throne)

ordain (invest with ministerial or priestly authority)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Place (authority, property, or rights) in the control of a person or group of persons

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

She vested her vast fortune in her two sons

Hypernyms (to "vest" is one way to...):

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

Verb group:

vest (become legally vested)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become legally vested

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

The property vests in the trustees

Hypernyms (to "vest" is one way to...):

change hands; change owners (be transferred to another owner)

Verb group:

vest (place (authority, property, or rights) in the control of a person or group of persons)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Clothe oneself in ecclesiastical garments

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "vest" is one way to...):

dress; dress up (dress in a certain manner)

Verb group:

robe; vest (clothe formally; especially in ecclesiastical robes)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 5

Meaning:

Clothe formally; especially in ecclesiastical robes

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

robe; vest

Hypernyms (to "vest" is one way to...):

apparel; clothe; dress; enclothe; fit out; garb; garment; habilitate; raiment; tog (provide with clothes or put clothes on)

Verb group:

vest (clothe oneself in ecclesiastical garments)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

vestment (gown (especially ceremonial garments) worn by the clergy)

vesture (a covering designed to be worn on a person's body)

 Context examples 

"What have you got in your vest pockets?"

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Captain Barrington was standing by the dressing-table with his coat and vest off.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Your fortune is vested in the English funds; Briggs has the will and the necessary documents.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Laurie smiled, took it, put it in his vest pocket 'to keep it from blowing away', and listened with interest to the lively letter Amy read him.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I remember a great wail and cry, and the women hanging about him, and we all standing in the room; I with a paper in my hand, which Ham had given me; Mr. Peggotty, with his vest torn open, his hair wild, his face and lips quite white, and blood trickling down his bosom (it had sprung from his mouth, I think), looking fixedly at me.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

My dear Tregellis, you are infallible upon a cravat, but you must allow me the right of my own judgment upon vests.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Next morning Fred showed me one of the crumpled flowers in his vest pocket, and looked very sentimental.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

A cold drizzle was falling, but he bared his head to it and unbuttoned his vest, swinging along in splendid unconcern.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

For example, I am taking you to-day to see the Prince in a nankeen vest.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He stood easily, with one thumb in the arm-pit, and two fingers of the other hand in his vest pocket.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)