vest
/vest/ (bre, ipa) · /vest/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvest/ (ame, mw)
vest — noun
- vestsingular
- vestsplural
1. A close-fitting, sleeveless piece of clothing worn directly against the skin and
A close-fitting, sleeveless piece of clothing worn directly against the skin and hidden beneath a shirt or blouse, mainly to add warmth in cold weather.
On freezing January mornings, Hao always pulls a wool vest on under his school shirt.
BrE undergarment worn for warmth
Grandma Mira knitted a thick white vest for the baby to wear beneath his pyjamas.
Defne keeps a stack of cotton vests in her drawer and layers them under her jumpers all winter.
The chemist sold thin thermal vests to walkers heading up into the Highlands.
- undershirt
American English term for the same garment
- singlet
Australian/New Zealand English; often used for sleeveless tops generally
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3: this is an undergarment hidden beneath a shirt, while sense 3 (waistcoat) is a buttoned garment worn over a shirt. American English calls this an 'undershirt'; only British English uses 'vest' for it.
常見錯誤
2. A casual sleeveless shirt, typically made of cotton, that people wear on its own
A casual sleeveless shirt, typically made of cotton, that people wear on its own in hot weather or while playing sport.
Tunde wore a loose cotton vest and shorts to the beach on the hottest day of summer.
summer casualwear with light fabric
The rugby players peeled off their muddy shirts and changed into clean vests at half-time.
Saira packed three white vests and a pair of shorts for her trip to the south of Spain.
During the heatwave, Owen lived in baggy vests around the flat and only put a shirt on for work.
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person doing sport or coping with heat. American English calls this garment a 'tank top'; the British 'vest' here is worn on its own, not under a shirt (contrast with sense 1).
常見錯誤
3. A short, sleeveless formal garment that fastens at the chest with a row of butto
A short, sleeveless formal garment that fastens at the chest with a row of buttons and goes on top of the shirt — typically the middle layer of a three-piece suit.
James wore a grey silk vest over his white shirt at the wedding in Boston.
formal occasion: suit component
All the waiters at the hotel wear black vests with brass buttons over their pressed shirts.
Mathieu fastened the last button of his charcoal vest and checked the mirror before walking down the aisle.
The groom chose a navy three-piece suit with a matching vest for the photographs by the lake.
- waistcoat
British English term for the same garment
用法筆記
In American English this is the primary meaning of 'vest'; British English usually says 'waistcoat'. Worn OVER the shirt and typically as part of a formal outfit — contrast with sense 1 (worn under the shirt for warmth).
常見錯誤
4. A short, sleeveless outer layer put on top of the rest of an outfit for warmth,
A short, sleeveless outer layer put on top of the rest of an outfit for warmth, safety, or visibility — for example a life vest, a high-visibility vest, or a padded fleece vest.
Every passenger on the ferry must put on a life vest before the boat leaves the dock.
life vest = water safety equipment
The road crew wore bright orange safety vests so that drivers could see them in the rain.
high-visibility safety vest at worksite
Constanza zipped up her padded fleece vest before stepping out into the cold morning air.
Cyclists in Amsterdam often wear reflective vests at night so that drivers can spot them on dark streets.
- gilet
Padded sleeveless jacket, from French; used in UK outdoor and fashion contexts
- body warmer
British English term for a quilted sleeveless jacket
用法筆記
Object is typically modified by a function word (life / safety / reflective / padded / fleece). Unlike sense 3 (decorative), these vests are practical equipment.
常見錯誤
vest — verb
- vestpresent simple I / you / we / they
- vests3rd person singular
- vesting-ing form
- vestedpast simple
1. To formally hand official authority, a legal right, or ownership of something to
To formally hand official authority, a legal right, or ownership of something to someone, usually through a law, a court ruling, or a written agreement.
The Constitution vests the president with the power to sign international treaties.
pattern: vest [person] with [authority]
The board voted to vest control of the new project in Stephanie at last week's meeting.
pattern: vest [thing] in [person]
By national law, the local council is vested with authority over all public parks and gardens.
After the court ruling, the government vested ownership of the riverside land in the indigenous community.
- revoke
To officially take back a power or right that was previously granted
文法句型
vest + someone + with + authority/right/power
vest + authority/right/power + in + someone
用法筆記
Frequently passive ('is vested with…'). Subject is typically an institution (government, board, court) or a legal document — not an ordinary person. Distinguish from verb sense 2, where the right or property is itself the subject and the verb is intransitive.
常見錯誤
2. (Of rights, shares, or other benefits) to become permanently owned by a person,
(Of rights, shares, or other benefits) to become permanently owned by a person, often automatically after a fixed period or when a specific condition is met.
After five years of service, Trang's pension benefits will fully vest in her name.
pension benefits vest after a time period
Ownership of the family home will vest in the eldest daughter once both parents have died.
property vests in [person] after [event]
Under the publishing agreement, the copyright vests in the author after the tenth year.
Three thousand shares of company stock will vest in Ravindra after four full years of employment.
- lapse
When a right or benefit expires before it can vest
文法句型
[right/property/benefit] + vest + in + someone
用法筆記
Intransitive — the right, share, or property is the subject, and the new owner follows 'in'. Common in pension, inheritance, stock-option, and copyright contexts. Distinguish from verb sense 1, where an institution actively grants the power.
常見錯誤
3. To put on, or help someone else put on, the special robes worn by clergy during
To put on, or help someone else put on, the special robes worn by clergy during a Christian religious service — for example before mass or an ordination.
The bishop vested the new priest in white linen robes during the ordination ceremony.
vest [someone] in [robes] — ordination context
Choir members vested themselves quietly in the sacristy before the Christmas Eve service began.
reflexive: vest oneself
The minister was vested in green and gold robes for the Easter Sunday mass at the cathedral.
Two altar servers helped the elderly priest vest in his heavy ceremonial robes before the funeral.
- robe
More general; can refer to academic, judicial, or ceremonial dress
- disrobe
To take off ceremonial or formal robes
文法句型
vest + someone + in + robes
vest + oneself
用法筆記
Specialised liturgical use; the related noun 'vestments' is far more common than this verb. Most learners will only meet this sense in religious or historical texts.