Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense divests, present participle divesting, past tense, past participle divested
1. verb
If you divestyourself of something that you own or are responsible for, you get rid of it or stop being responsible for it.
[formal]
The company divested itself of its oil interests. [V pron-refl + of]
2. verb
If something or someone is divestedof a particular quality, they lose that quality or it is taken away from them.
[formal]
...in the 1960s, when sexual love had been divested of sin. [beVERB-ed + of]
They have divested rituals of their original meaning. [VERB noun + of]
Divested of the hype surrounding its launch, the show can now emerge as a classic. [VERB-ed]
3. verb
If you divest someone of something that they are wearing or carrying, you take it off them or away from them.
[old-fashioned]
...the formalities of divesting her of her coat. [V n of n]
As he ran from the field, he divested himself of his helmet and gloves. [V pron-refl of n]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: strip, remove, take off, undress More Synonyms of divest
More Synonyms of divest
divest in British English
(daɪˈvɛst)
verb(transitive; usually foll byof)
1.
to strip (of clothes)
to divest oneself of one's coat
2.
to deprive or dispossess
3. property law
to take away an estate or interest in property vested in (a person)
Derived forms
divestible (diˈvestible)
adjective
divestiture (daɪˈvɛstɪtʃə), divesture (daɪˈvɛstʃə) or divestment (diˈvestment)
noun
Word origin
C17: changed from earlier devest
divest in American English
(dəˈvɛst; daɪˈvɛst)
verb transitive
1.
to strip of clothing, equipment, etc.
2.
to deprive or dispossess of rank, rights, etc.
3.
to disencumber or rid of something unwanted
4. Law
devest
SIMILAR WORDS: strip
Word origin
altered < devest
divest in Finance
(dɪvɛst)
Word forms: (present) divests, (past) divested, (perfect) divested, (progressive) divesting
verb
(Finance: General)
If you divest yourself of an asset, you get rid of it, usually by selling it.
The company divested itself of its oil interests.
Negotiators agreed to force thrifts to divest themselves of any non-investment grade bonds and direct equity investments withinfive years.
If you divest yourself of an asset, you get rid of it, usually by selling it.
Examples of 'divest' in a sentence
divest
But his desire to get big banks back into that lending game runs into his boss's flirtation with forcing banks to divest themselves of those businesses.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A lead trader in a bank, he is complicit as his company tries to divest itself of toxic holdings before they destroy it.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Word lists with
divest
Property law terms
1 (verb)
Definition
to deprive of a role, function, or quality
They were divested of all their personal possessions.
Synonyms
deprive
They've been deprived of the fuel necessary to heat their homes.
strip
The government is slowly stripping us of our rights.
dispossess
people who were dispossessed of their land
despoil (formal)
the modern day industry which has despoiled the town
2 (verb)
Definition
to strip (of clothes)
the formalities of divesting her of her coat
Synonyms
strip
We stripped down to our swimming costumes.
remove
He removed his jacket.
take off
undress
She went out, leaving Rachel to undress and have her shower.
denude
Many hillsides had been denuded of trees.
disrobe
I stood up and began to disrobe.
unclothe
Additional synonyms
in the sense of denude
Definition
to make bare
Many hillsides had been denuded of trees.
Synonyms
strip,
expose,
bare,
uncover,
divest,
lay bare
in the sense of despoil
Definition
to plunder
the modern day industry which has despoiled the town