invest: [16] The etymological notion underlying invest is of ‘putting on clothes’. It comes via Old French investir from Latin investīre, a compound verb formed from the prefix in- and vestis ‘clothes’ (source of English vest, vestment, travesty, etc). It retained that original literal sense ‘clothe’ in English for several centuries, but now it survives only in its metaphorical descendant ‘instal in an office’ (as originally performed by clothing in special garments).
Its financial sense, first recorded in English in the early 17th century, is thought to have originated in Italian investire from the idea of dressing one’s capital up in different clothes by putting it into a particular business, stock, etc. => travesty, vest, vestment
invest (v.)
late 14c., "to clothe in the official robes of an office," from Latin investire "to clothe in, cover, surround," from in "in, into" (see in- (2)) + vestire "to dress, clothe" (see wear (v.)). The meaning "use money to produce profit" first attested 1610s in connection with the East Indies trade, and is probably a borrowing of Italian investire (13c.) from the same Latin root, via the notion of giving one's capital a new form. The military meaning "to besiege" is from c. 1600. Related: Invested; investing.
双语例句
1. They would have to offer cast-iron guarantees to invest in long-term projects.
他们需提供绝对可靠的担保，才能投资长期项目。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Business is booming and foreigners are scrambling to invest.
商业繁荣，外国人争相投资。
来自柯林斯例句
3. She wanted to set up her own company to invest in films.
她想成立自己的公司投资电影。
来自柯林斯例句
4. He urged US executives to invest billions of dollars in his country.
他力劝美国公司的高管们向他的国家投资数十亿美元。
来自柯林斯例句
5. To get the most out of your money, you have to invest.