- inverted snobbery
- noun (U) BrE
the idea that everything that is typical of the upper classes must be bad
invest, verb
1 (I, T) to give money to a company, business, or bank, in order to get a profit: invest (sth) in sth: Jones invested $7 million in an ultra-modern video studio. | invest heavily (=invest a lot of money): Maxwell had invested heavily in the bond market.2 (T) to use a lot of time, effort etc in order to make something succeed: invest sth in sth: I've invested a lot of time and effort in this project, and I don't want it to fail.invest in sth phrasal verb (T)1 to buy something in order to sell it again when the value increases and so make a profit: Oliver made a fortune by investing in antique furniture.2 to buy something because it will be useful for you: It's about time you invested in a new shirt!invest sb/sth with sth phrasal verb (transitive often passive) formal1 to officially give someone power to do something: invested with the authority to enforce his recommendations2 to make someone or something seem to have a particular quality or character: Richard's heavy-rimmed glasses invested him with an air of dignity.investigate, verb1 (I, T) to try to find out the truth about something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem: The allegations were investigated, and found to be untrue. | I heard a noise and went downstairs to investigate.2 (T) to try to find out more about someone's character, actions etc, because you think they may have been involved in a crime: Penney was already being investigated by the police on suspicion of murder.investigation /In"vestI'geISn/ noun1 (C) an official attempt to find out the reasons for something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem: a criminal investigation(+ into): The authorities are planning to launch a full-scale investigation into the crash which claimed over 200 lives.2 (U) the act of investigating something: the investigation of computer fraud | under investigation (=being investigated): The whole issue is still under investigation.
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.