revest: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / ArchaicFormal, Literary, Legal
Quick answer
What does “revest” mean?
To clothe again or anew.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To clothe again or anew; to return (property or rights) to their original owner.
To reinvest with authority, dignity, or power; to restore to a previous state or condition.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare and obsolete in both dialects. No significant usage differences.
Connotations
Evokes a formal, archaic, or historical tone in both.
Frequency
Effectively not in current use in either dialect.
Grammar
How to Use “revest” in a Sentence
revest [sb] with [sth]revest [sth] in [sb]revest [sth] (to [sb])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “revest” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The court moved to revest the ancestral lands to the rightful heir.
- The ceremony served to revest the monarch with ancient authority.
American English
- The treaty aimed to revest the property to its original owners.
- The new constitution revested certain powers in the states.
adverb
British English
- (No common adverbial form in use)
American English
- (No common adverbial form in use)
adjective
British English
- (No common adjectival form in use)
American English
- (No common adjectival form in use)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in historical or literary studies discussing old texts.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
May appear in historical legal texts concerning property reversion.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “revest”
- Confusing it with 'revisit'.
- Using it in modern contexts where 'restore' or 'reinstate' is appropriate.
- Spelling as 'reveste'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered rare and archaic. You will almost never encounter it in modern speech or writing outside of specific historical or legal contexts.
'Invest' means to endow or provide with authority, power, or qualities for the first time. 'Revest' implies a *return* or *restoration* of something that was previously held or owned.
Literally, it can, but this use is extremely archaic and poetic. Its primary surviving sense is metaphorical: to clothe someone again with authority, rights, or dignity.
No. As a learner, you should recognize it as a historical/legal term but use its modern synonyms like 'restore', 'reinstate', or 'return' in your own speech and writing.
To clothe again or anew.
Revest is usually formal, literary, legal in register.
Revest: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈvɛst/, and in American English it is pronounced /riˈvɛst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(None in common usage due to word's rarity)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think RE-VEST: to put the VEST (clothing, authority) back ON someone RE- (again).
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS CLOTHING (to be revested with power).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the verb 'revest' be most appropriate?