- invest
- late 14c., "to clothe in the official robes of an office," from L. investire "to clothe in, cover, surround," from in "in, into" + vestire "to dress, clothe" (see wear). The meaning "use money to produce profit" first attested 1610s in connection with the East Indies trade, and is probably a borrowing of It. investire (13c.) from the same L. root, via the notion of giving one's capital a new form. The military meaning "to besiege" is from c.1600.
- impersonate
- 1624, "to invest with a personality," from L. in- "in" + persona "person." Sense of "to assume the person or character of" is first recorded 1715. Impersonator in this sense is from 1853.
- qualify
- 1465, "to invest with a quality," from M.L. qualificare "attribute a quality to," from L. qualis "of what sort" + facere "to make" (see factitious). Sense of "be fit for a job" first appeared 1588. Qualification in the sense of "limitation, restriction" is from 1543.
- vest (v.)
- c.1425, "to put in possession of a person," from M.Fr. vestir, from M.L. vestire "to put into possession, to invest," from L. vestire "to clothe," related to vestis "garment, clothing," from PIE *wes- "to clothe" (see wear). Vested "established, secured, settled" is attested from 1766.