The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Invest \In*vest"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invested; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Investing.] [L. investire, investitum; pref. in- in +
   vestire to clothe, fr. vestis clothing: cf. F. investir. See
   Vest.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To put garments on; to clothe; to dress; to array; --
      opposed to divest. Usually followed by with, sometimes
      by in; as, to invest one with a robe.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To put on. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            Can not find one this girdle to invest. --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To clothe, as with office or authority; to place in
      possession of rank, dignity, or estate; to endow; to
      adorn; to grace; to bedeck; as, to invest with honor or
      glory; to invest with an estate.
      [1913 Webster]

            I do invest you jointly with my power. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To surround, accompany, or attend.
      [1913 Webster]

            Awe such as must always invest the spectacle of the
            guilt.                                --Hawthorne.
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   5. To confer; to give. [R.]
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            It investeth a right of government.   --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. (Mil.) To inclose; to surround or hem in with troops, so
      as to intercept reinforcements of men and provisions and
      prevent escape; to lay siege to; as, to invest a town.
      [1913 Webster]

   7. To lay out (money or capital) in business with the view of
      obtaining an income or profit; as, to invest money in bank
      stock.
      [1913 Webster]

   8. Hence: To expend (time, money, or other resources) with a
      view to obtaining some benefit of value in excess of that
      expended, or to achieve a useful pupose; as, to invest a
      lot of time in teaching one's children.
      [PJC]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

investing \investing\ n.
   the act or process of expending resources, especially money,
   to achieve rewards.

   Syn: investment.
        [WordNet 1.5]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

investing
    n 1: the act of investing; laying out money or capital in an
         enterprise with the expectation of profit [syn:
         investing, investment]