As opposed to Vette, which means to hot rod around in a Corvette. :)

yes, i am a political junkie and i remember the use of the word going back at least 25 years

yes, having been in the antique business, when i used to do posh shows in my 20's, all items for sale would be vetted by 'experts' nominated by the show promotors to reassure the public!

but as all the dealers know each other and any one of your competitors could be nominated the vetter at the next show, then as you can imagine nearly everything passed the vettign without comment.

If you "vet" an animal, you check it out with a veterinarian to see if it's healthy and safe. (Just the opposite of "not looking a gift horse in the mouth.") You get the horse you are going to buy vetted, where it's carefully check over on both ends.

"Vet" sounds more <cough> polite than "investigate," unless someone decides to extend the veterinarian analogy too far, then things might get NSFW.

It's interesting to ponder the difference between being "vetted" and being "doctored".

:)

it's been used in the security field, too

[mi5careers.gov.uk...]

The word has been used, especially in the security context, for decades, at least in Britain.

I can't remember it ever not being in common use. Mind, this is Canada, and I grew up in a family of bureaucrats.