Definition of vest with

The phrase "vest with" has its origins in legal and political contexts, specifically referring to the bestowal of power, authority, or rights upon an individual. The word "vest" can be traced back to the Middle English "vesten," meaning "to clothe" or "to endow." This usage can be seen in its earliest literary occurrences, such as in Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," where it is used in the sense of bestowing wealth or property upon an individual. However, it was in the context of law and politics that the phrase "vest with" truly came to prominence. During the English Renaissance, Parliament began to pass statutes that explicitly stated the transfer of authority or rights from one party to another, utilizing the phrase "vest him with" to denote this process. Over time, the usage of "vest with" spread beyond legal contexts, coming to refer to endowing individuals with a variety of qualities or characteristics, such as authority, confidence, or knowledge. Today, it continues to be a commonly used idiom in English, part of a rich vocabulary that reflects the complex history of the language.