divest
pronunciation
How to pronounce divest in British English:
UK [daɪˈvest]
How to pronounce divest in American English:
US [dɪˈvɛst, daɪ-]
-
- Verb:
- take away possessions from someone
- deprive of status or authority
- reduce or dispose of; cease to hold (an investment)
- remove (someone's or one's own) clothes
Word Origin
- divest
- divest: see vest
- divest (v.)
- 1560s, devest (modern spelling is c. 1600), from Middle French devester "strip of possessions," from Old French desvestir, from des- "away" (see dis-) + vestir "to clothe" (see vest (v.)). The figurative sense of "strip of possessions" is earliest in English; reflexive sense of "to strip oneself of" is from c. 1600. Economic sense (implied in divestment) is from 1955. Related: Divested; divesting.
Example
- 1. The most highprofile area of the sri world is the campaign to divest from sudan .
- 2. Mr deripaska became the first to be forced to divest some of his foreign holdings to cover loans .
- 3. She was compelled to divest herself of her holdings .
- 4. The urge to turn the screws , combined with the meekness of un sanctions , has led to new efforts to divest america 's pension funds from companies-mainly foreign ones , or subsidiaries of american groups-that do business with iran .
- 5. Sinopec did not specify any timetable for the acquisitions but added that the parent plans to divest its remaining chemicals business within five years .