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REFERENCE

investment

n.
US //ˌɪnˈvɛsmənt// UK //ɪnvˈɛstmənt// in·vest·ment
  1. 1 financial capital (n.)
    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.

    Example

    Buying that apartment was a great investment because its value has doubled.

    Example

    The venture capital firm increased its investment in the biotech startup after the initial clinical trials yielded promising results.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'in'.

    • divestment
  2. 2 effort or time (n.)
    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.

    Example

    Learning a new language requires a big investment of your time.

    Example

    The mentorship programme requires a significant emotional investment from both the senior executives and the junior staff members.

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  1. 3 military siege (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Technical Law

    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.

    Example

    The investment of the city lasted for months before the gates were finally opened.

    Example

    The general ordered a complete investment of the fortress, cutting off all supply lines to force a swift surrender.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is rare in modern speech; 'siege' is the standard term for general contexts.

  2. 4 casting mold (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    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.

    Example

    The artist poured the liquid metal into the investment to create the bronze statue.

    Example

    The precision of the final sculpture depends on the quality of the investment material used during the casting phase.

Origin

From invest + -ment.

Word family

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