Vest (?), n. [L. vestis a garment, vesture; akin to Goth. wasti, and E. wear: cf. F. veste. See Wear to carry on the person, and cf. Divest, Invest, Travesty.]
1.
An article of clothing covering the person; an outer garment; a vestment; a dress; a vesture; a robe.
In state attended by her maiden train,
Who bore the vests that holy rites require.
Dryden.
2.
Any outer covering; array; garb.
Not seldom clothed in radiant vest
Deceitfully goes forth the morn.
Wordsworth.
3.
Specifically, a waistcoat, or sleeveless body garment, for men, worn under the coat.
Syn. -- Garment; vesture; dress; robe; vestment; waistcoat. -- Vest, Waistcoat. In England, the original word waistcoat is generally used for the body garment worn over the shirt and immediately under the coat. In the United States this garment is commonly called a vest, and the waistcoat is often improperly given to an under-garment.
© Webster 1913.
Vest, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vested; p. pr. & vb. n. Vesting.] [Cf. L. vestire, vestitum, OF. vestir, F. vetir. See Vest, n.]
1.
To clothe with, or as with, a vestment, or garment; to dress; to robe; to cover, surround, or encompass closely.
Came vested all in white, pure as her mind.
Milton.
With ether vested, and a purple sky.
Dryden.
2.
To clothe with authority, power, or the like; to put in possession; to invest; to furnish; to endow; -- followed by with before the thing conferred; as, to vest a court with power to try cases of life and death.
Had I been vested with the monarch's power.
Prior.
3.
To place or give into the possession or discretion of some person or authority; to commit to another; -- with in before the possessor; as, the power of life and death is vested in the king, or in the courts.
Empire and dominion was [were] vested in him.
Locke.
4.
To invest; to put; as, to vest money in goods, land, or houses.
[R.]
5. Law
To clothe with possession; as, to vest a person with an estate; also, to give a person an immediate fixed right of present or future enjoyment of; as, an estate is vested in possession.
Bouvier.
© Webster 1913.
Vest (?), v. i.
To come or descend; to be fixed; to take effect, as a title or right; -- followed by in; as, upon the death of the ancestor, the estate, or the right to the estate, vests in the heir at law.
© Webster 1913.