The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Investment \In*vest"ment\, n.
   1. The act of investing, or the state of being invested.
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   2. That with which anyone is invested; a vestment.
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            Whose white investments figure innocence. --Shak.
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   3. (Mil.) The act of surrounding, blocking up, or besieging
      by an armed force, or the state of being so surrounded.
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            The capitulation was signed by the commander of the
            fort within six days after its investments.
                                                  --Marshall.
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   4. The laying out of money in the purchase of some species of
      property; also, the amount of money invested, or that in
      which money is invested.
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            Before the investment could be made, a change of the
            market might render it ineligible.    --A. Hamilton.
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            An investment in ink, paper, and steel pens.
                                                  --Hawthorne.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

investment
    n 1: the act of investing; laying out money or capital in an
         enterprise with the expectation of profit [syn:
         investing, investment]
    2: money that is invested with an expectation of profit [syn:
       investment, investment funds]
    3: the commitment of something other than money (time, energy,
       or effort) to a project with the expectation of some
       worthwhile result; "this job calls for the investment of some
       hard thinking"; "he made an emotional investment in the work"
    4: outer layer or covering of an organ or part or organism
    5: the act of putting on robes or vestments
    6: the ceremonial act of clothing someone in the insignia of an
       office; the formal promotion of a person to an office or rank
       [syn: investment, investiture]