Historically, it referred to an actual chest located in the homes or barracks of soldiers or military leadership, in which arms and armor were stored.
In the modern era, the term refers to amassed funds, expertise, and/or equipment which allows a person or organization to survive a challenging situation.
In arms and armor, a war chest is a container for the personal weapons and protective gear of a citizen-soldier, kept in the household, and is the origin of the term.
The term's modern meaning originates with the medieval practice of having a chest, literally, filled with money to open in time of war[citation needed].
Companies can redistribute their war chests to shareholders by issuing larger or special dividends, or more commonly through share buyback operations.