Skip to content
HOW TO PRONOUNCE

vest

/vɛst/

Press play to hear how to pronounce vest.

American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
Watch on YouTube ↗

What does vest mean?

noun

  1. A sleeveless garment that buttons down the front, worn over a shirt, and often as part of a suit; a waistcoat.
  2. A sleeveless garment, often with a low-cut neck, usually worn under a shirt or blouse.
  3. A sleeveless top, typically with identifying colours or logos, worn by an athlete or member of a sports team.
More meanings (12)

noun

  1. Any sleeveless outer garment, often for a purpose such as identification, safety, or storage.
  2. A vestment.
  3. Clothing generally; array; garb.
  4. (archaic) A loose robe or outer garment worn historically by men in Arab or Middle Eastern countries.

verb

  1. To clothe with, or as with, a vestment, or garment; to dress; to robe; to cover, surround, or encompass closely.
  2. To clothe with authority, power, etc.; to put in possession; to invest; to furnish; to endow; followed by with and the thing conferred.
  3. To place or give into the possession or discretion of some person or authority; to commit to another; with in before the possessor.
  4. To clothe with possession; also, to give a person an immediate fixed right of present or future enjoyment of.
  5. (of an inheritance or a trust fund) To devolve upon the person currently entitled when a prior interest has ended.
  6. To become vested, to become permanent.
  7. (obsolete) To invest; to put.

proper noun

  1. A surname.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/vɛst/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

He is in his shirt sleeves, with a vest figured with faded gold horseshoes, and a pink-striped shirt, suggestive of peppermint candy.
Upton SinclairThe JungleProject Gutenberg ebook #140
The dentist took off his coat, his collar and necktie, unbuttoned his vest, and slipped his heavy-soled boots from his big feet.
Frank NorrisMcTeague: A Story of San FranciscoProject Gutenberg ebook #165
More book examples (3)
Mr. Stratton was attired in a black dress coat and a vest of white corded silk, with an undervest of blue silk.
Joel BentonA Unique Story of a Marvellous Career: Life of Hon. Phineas T. BarnumProject Gutenberg ebook #1576
"There, Charles," said the grandmother, "wouldn't a vest pocketful of those bugs or germs be a big enough dose for one acre?"
Cyril G. (Cyril George) HopkinsThe Story of the Soil; from the Basis of Absolute Science and Real LifeProject Gutenberg ebook #4527
When the fire is applied it expands, and climbs up and towers above the pipe, and presently tumbles off inside of one’s vest.
Mark TwainWhat Is Man? and Other EssaysProject Gutenberg ebook #70