/ vest; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
( BrE ) ( NAmE under·shirt ) a piece of underwear worn under a shirt, etc. next to the skin :
a cotton vest
—compare singlet
2.
a special piece of clothing that covers the upper part of the body :
a bullet-proof vest
a running vest
3.
( NAmE ) = waistcoat
■ verb
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PHRASAL VERBS
- vest in sb/sth
- vest sth in sb | vest sb with sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (as a verb): from Old French vestu clothed, past participle of vestir , from Latin vestire ; the noun (early 17th cent., denoting a loose outer garment) from French veste , via Italian from Latin vestis garment.