vest

noun \ ˈvest \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: vest in a Sentence

Definition of vest

1 a : a sleeveless garment for the upper body usually worn over a shirt

b : a protective usually sleeveless garment (such as a life preserver) that extends to the waist

c : an insulated sleeveless waist-length garment often worn under or in place of a coat

2 a chiefly British : a man's sleeveless undershirt

b : a knitted undershirt for women

3 : a plain or decorative piece used to fill in the front neckline of a woman's outer garment (such as a blouse or dress)

4 archaic

a : a loose outer garment : robe

b : clothing, garb

—

vestlike

play \ˈvest-ˌlīk\ adjective

See vest defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of vest from the Web

Wearing a neon vest Saturday morning, Lanie Fleischer clipped leafy branches in the wooded area off the popular Anchorage trail that bears her name.

— tegan hanlon, Anchorage Daily News, "‘Everybody’s got to do what they can’: Anchorage volunteers trim branches along city trail in effort to improve safety," 10 June 2018
During the robbery, the suspect wore a denim vest over a gray, hooded sweatshirt.

— robert krier, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Suspect in bank robbery sought," 6 June 2018
Najjar, a volunteer paramedic, had been treating a wounded protester shortly before she was shot and was wearing a white medical vest that identified her as a health worker.

— Washington Post, "Israel: Shooting of female Palestinian medic unintentional," 5 June 2018
Colton Underwood wore a velour vest on last night's episode of The Bachelorette.

— rebecca farley, refinery29.com, "Yes, That Guy On The Bachelorette Is Aly Raisman's Ex-Boyfriend," 29 May 2018
Clarissa sat in the second row, wearing a white puffer vest.

— jennifer gonnerman, The New Yorker, "How One Woman’s Fight to Save Her Family Helped Lead to a Mass Exoneration," 19 May 2018
When Frazier was arrested he was seen being bundled into the back of a police car while wearing a yellow police vest.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "Mobile police impersonator arrested with drugs and illegal pistol," 25 Apr. 2018
One was wearing a fishing vest covered in hooks and lures.

— andrew j. hawkins, The Verge, "The best, worst, and weirdest cars at the 2018 New York Auto Show," 31 Mar. 2018
Patients attending appointments at the Fertility Center in Beachwood this morning noted a police car at the parking lot's entrance as well as an officer wearing a bullet-proof vest at the main entrance front desk.

— brie zeltner, cleveland.com, "Security increased at UH Ahuja Fertility Center after egg, embryo freezer malfunction," 9 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of vest

French veste, from It, from Latin vestis garment

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1613

in the meaning defined at sense 4

See Words from the same year

vest

verb

Definition of vest

vested; vesting; vests

transitive verb

1 a : to grant or endow with a particular authority, right, or property

the plan vests workers with pension benefits after 10 years of service

b : to place or give into the possession or discretion of some person or authority; especially : to give to a person a legally fixed immediate right of present or future enjoyment of (such as an estate)

2 : to clothe with or as if with a garment; especially : to robe in ecclesiastical vestments

intransitive verb

1 : to become legally vested

2 : to put on garments or vestments

See vest defined for English-language learners

See vest defined for kids

Examples of vest in a Sentence

“By the power vested in me by the state,” intoned the minister, “I now pronounce that you are married”
vested the power to access their retirement accounts with their attorney

Recent Examples of vest from the Web

His share awards will be pro-rated in line with the plan rules and will vest over the next five years, to the extent that performance targets are met.

— joe mayes, Bloomberg.com, "WPP CEO Sorrell Quits After Three Decades at Top of Ad World," 14 Apr. 2018
The company’s market value has to reach $650 billion for the award to fully vest — roughly a 12-fold increase.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Musk’s $2.6 billion award cheered on by big Tesla shareholders," 8 Mar. 2018
Nathaniel Jones, 92 years old and long retired from the federal bench, is vested in the Reds, both emotionally and financially.

— byron mccauley, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Reds: Who goes to see the worst team in baseball? Meet them.," 25 Apr. 2018
About 2,300 former employees — who were vested in the program and had at least $5,000 in the ESOP — qualify as members of the suit.

— sam wood, Philly.com, "Wawa to pay $25 million to settle employee stock suit," 24 Apr. 2018
The bulk of his compensation was $40.6 million in option awards exercised and $14.3 million in Aetna shares that vested.

— stephen singer, courant.com, "Aetna: 2017 Compensation For CEO Bertolini Neared $59 Million," 7 Apr. 2018
Two recent fatal crashes of cars with varying levels of autonomous-driving technology are focusing attention on vehicles that vest control in both humans and machines.

— mike colias, WSJ, "Tesla, Uber Deaths Raise Questions About the Perils of Partly Autonomous Driving," 2 Apr. 2018
Voters already showed their faith in her leadership with their overwhelming approval last year of city charter changes designed to vest her office with more independence.

— everton bailey jr., OregonLive.com, "Man dies after he jumps onto I-5, gets hit by car, police say," 20 Apr. 2018
Its largest deal, $3 billion for Beats Electronics in 2014, added hundreds of millions of dollars to the net worth of founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, including more than $400 million of Apple shares that vest later this year.

— tom metcalf, Bloomberg.com, "Apple Is the Richest Company, So Where Are the Billionaires?," 11 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of vest

Middle English, from Anglo-French vestir to clothe, invest, vest, from Latin vestire to clothe, from vestis clothing, garment — more at wear

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

See Words from the same year

vest Synonyms

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

VEST Defined for English Language Learners

vest

verb

Definition of vest for English Language Learners

: to give (someone) the legal right or power to do something or to own land or property

vest

noun

Definition of vest for English Language Learners

: a sleeveless piece of clothing with buttons down the front that is worn over a shirt and under a suit jacket
: a special piece of clothing that you wear on your upper body for protection or safety
: a man's sleeveless undershirt