vest

A vest can be many things. Most often, it is a sleeveless piece of clothing worn over a shirt, like the one in a three-piece suit. The word also refers to gear that protects or covers the body. A life vest helps keep you afloat in water, and a bulletproof vest helps protect you from harm. In finance and law, "to vest" means to gain full ownership of something over time, such as stock options at work. So the word can point to clothing, safety equipment, or rights that become fully yours.

The word "vest" has a surprisingly wide range of meanings. It comes from the Old French veste, which referred to a garment. In modern English, one common meaning is a sleeveless piece of clothing worn over a shirt, often as part of a formal suit. A tailored vest can make an outfit look more polished, but it can also be casual, like a denim vest or a quilted outdoor vest. In British English, a "vest" usually means an undershirt, while the outer formal garment is called a waistcoat.

The word is also widely used for protective gear. A life vest, or life jacket, is used for safety in water. A bulletproof vest is worn to reduce injury from bullets. In these cases, the idea is still something worn on the body for coverage and protection.

There is also an important verb use in finance and law. "To vest" means to give someone a right, power, or ownership, or to let that ownership become complete over time. For example, stock options at a company may vest after a worker has stayed there for a set number of years. When that happens, the worker fully gains the right to those options. This meaning is related to an older idea of being "clothed" with power or rights. So "vest" can describe clothing, protective equipment, or the process of gaining full ownership or legal rights.