divest

/dai'vest/

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The word "divest" is a verb that generally means to take something away from someone or to remove something from oneself. Let’s break down its meanings and usage in a simple way:

Basic Definitions:

1. To remove clothes: This can mean someone taking off their clothes. For example, a nurse might quickly undress a patient in an emergency.

   • Example: "The nurse quickly divested the accident victim of his clothes to examine his injuries."

2. To get rid of or sell off an investment: This means stopping ownership of something valuable, like stocks or property.

   • Example: "The company decided to divest its shares in the failing business."

3. To take away rights or authority: This refers to someone being stripped of their power or privileges.

   • Example: "After the scandal, he was divested of his position as manager."

4. To remove possessions: This can refer to someone losing their assets or belongings.

   • Example: "During the war, many people were divested of their property."

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "divest" when talking about removing something, whether it's clothing, investments, or rights. It often has a formal or serious tone, especially in financial or legal contexts.

Advanced Usage:

• In finance, "divest" is often used when companies or institutions decide to sell off parts of their business. This can be related to ethical considerations or financial strategy.
• In law or governance, "divest" can refer to the formal process of removing someone's rights or titles.

Word Variants:

• Divestment (noun): The act of divesting or the process of selling off an investment.
  • Example: "The divestment from fossil fuels is part of the university's commitment to sustainability."

Different Meaning:

• While "divest" primarily involves taking something away, in some contexts, it may also imply a sense of cleansing or freeing oneself from burdens (like bad investments or responsibilities).

Synonyms:

• Remove
• Strip
• Sell off
• Dispossess
• Withdraw

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There aren't specific idioms or phrasal verbs using "divest," but you might hear phrases like "divest oneself of" to talk about removing things from oneself, especially in a metaphorical sense (like responsibilities or negative influences).

Example Sentences:

1. Clothing: "After the hike, she quickly divested herself of her heavy outdoor clothes."
2. Investments: "The university faced pressure to divest from companies involved in fossil fuels." 3.

Academic

Verb

1. remove (someone's or one's own) clothes
   • The nurse quickly undressed the accident victim
   • She divested herself of her outdoor clothes
   • He disinvested himself of his garments
2. reduce or dispose of; cease to hold (an investment)
   • The company decided to divest
   • the board of trustees divested $20 million in real estate property
   • There was pressure on the university to disinvest in South Africa
3. deprive of status or authority
   • he was divested of his rights and his title
   • They disinvested themselves of their rights
4. take away possessions from someone
   • The Nazis stripped the Jews of all their assets

Synonyms

• strip
• undress
• disinvest
• deprive