investment
- 01 B1 Intermediate
money that you put into a business or bank to make more money.
the allocation of capital into assets, such as stocks or property, with the expectation of deriving income or profit.
Simple“Buying that apartment was a great investment because its value has doubled.”
In context“The venture capital firm increased its investment in the biotech startup after the initial clinical trials yielded promising results.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'in'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the time or energy you spend on something to make it successful.
the devotion of non-financial resources, such as time, emotion, or effort, toward a particular purpose or person.
Simple“Learning a new language requires a big investment of your time.”
In context“The mentorship programme requires a significant emotional investment from both the senior executives and the junior staff members.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
the act of surrounding a place with an army to take control of it.
the act of surrounding or blocking a hostile town or fortress with armed forces.
Simple“The investment of the city lasted for months before the gates were finally opened.”
In context“The general ordered a complete investment of the fortress, cutting off all supply lines to force a swift surrender.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is rare in modern speech; 'siege' is the standard term for general contexts.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
a special material used to make a mold for shaping metal.
a refractory material, often silica and plaster, used to form a mold for the lost-wax casting process.
Simple“The artist poured the liquid metal into the investment to create the bronze statue.”
In context“The precision of the final sculpture depends on the quality of the investment material used during the casting phase.”
Usage investment firm · investment opportunities · considerable investment
From invest + -ment.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.