Vetting
Vetting is the process of performing a background check on someone before offering them employment, conferring an award, or doing fact-checking prior to making any decision. In addition, assets are vetted in intelligence gathering to determine their usefulness.
Etymology
To vet was originally a horse-racing term, referring to a veterinarian's requirement that a horse be checked for health and soundness before being allowed to race. Thus, it has taken the general meaning "to check."
It is a symbolic contraction of veterinarian, originating in the mid-17th century. The colloquial abbreviation dates to the 1860s; the verb form of the word, meaning "to treat an animal," came a few decades later—according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest known usage is 1891 — and was applied primarily in a horse-racing context ("He vetted the stallion before the race," "You should vet that horse before he races", etc.).
By the early 1900s, "vet" had begun to be used as a synonym for evaluate, especially when searching for flaws.
Uses of vetting
- A political party may wish to determine if a candidate has a potentially damaging background.
- Conservatives rallied around Gov. Sarah Palin (R, Alaska), who is Republican Senator John McCain’s choice for a running mate, after the disclosure that her unmarried teenage daughter was pregnant.
- The Father of the Bride may want to know if the potential groom is "good enough" for his daughter.
- Can the groom provide for his daughter (and soon-to-be bride).
- An business or organization may wish to know the background of a potential member or employee.
- it might be a good idea to verify the information on a candidate's job application and resume to check their truthfulness (See: New York Republican George Santos lying about his resume)
- In the BDSM community, a person may want to know if their potential play partner "plays safely".
- See:
Chat rooms • What links here • Copyright info • Contact information • Category:Root