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invest

v. · n.
US //ˌɪnˈvɛst// UK //ɪnvˈɛst// in·vest
  1. 1 money for profit (v.)
    B1 Intermediate General-service

    to put money into a business or property to make more money in the future.

    to commit capital to an enterprise, project, or asset with the expectation of achieving a profit or material result.

    Example

    She decided to invest her savings in a small local business.

    Example

    Institutional investors were hesitant to invest in the emerging market until the regulatory framework became more transparent.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the preposition 'in'.
    Pitfall
    He invested his money to the stock market.
    He invested his money in the stock market.

    Use the preposition 'in' when naming the destination of the investment.

  2. 2 time or effort (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate General-service

    to spend a lot of time or energy on something because it is important to you.

    to devote time, effort, or emotional energy to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a worthwhile result.

    Example

    If you invest time in learning a language now, it will help your career later.

    Example

    The mentors invest significant energy into the development of their students, viewing the success of the graduates as their primary reward.
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  1. 3 giving power or authority (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Academic Law

    to officially give someone power, a title, or a special quality.

    to formally provide someone with power, authority, or a specific right; often used in the passive voice.

    Example

    The constitution invests the president with the power to veto new laws.

    Example

    The royal charter invests the governor with the authority to manage all colonial trade agreements without direct parliamentary oversight.

    Usage

    Often follows the pattern 'invest someone with something'.
  2. 4 surround with troops (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

    to surround a city or castle with an army to stop people from leaving or entering.

    to surround a place with military forces in order to besiege it.

    Example

    The enemy forces began to invest the city walls at midnight.

    Example

    The general chose to invest the fortress rather than risk a direct assault, hoping to starve the garrison into a quick surrender.
  3. 5 weather monitoring (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a weather area that experts are watching because it might turn into a big storm.

    a designated area of disturbed weather monitored for potential tropical cyclone development.

    Example

    The weather center is tracking a new invest in the Atlantic Ocean.

    Example

    Meteorologists upgraded the invest to a tropical depression after satellite imagery confirmed a closed surface circulation.
Etymology 1

Borrowed from Middle French investir or Medieval Latin investire, from Latin investio (“to clothe, cover”), from in- (“in, on”) + vestio (“to clothe, dress”), from vestis (“clothing”); see vest. The sense “to spend money etc.” probably via Italian investire, of the same root.

Etymology 2

From investigate, by shortening.

Word family

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