vest

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
vest/vest/

▶noun

• 1 Brit. an undergarment worn on the upper part of the body, typically sleeveless.

• 2 a sleeveless garment worn on the upper part of the body for a particular purpose: a bulletproof vest.

• 3 N. Amer. & Austral. a waistcoat or sleeveless jacket.

▶verb

• 1 (vest something in) confer or bestow power, property, etc. on: executive power is vested in the President.

  ■ (usu. be vested with) give (someone) the legal right to power, property, etc.

• 2 put on vestments.

  ■ literary dress (someone).

– phrases
play (or keep) one's cards close to one's vest see chest.

– origin ME: the verb from OFr. vestu ‘clothed’, past part. of vestir, from L. vestire; the noun from Fr. veste, via Ital. from L. vestis ‘garment’.