Meaning & Definition of word "Divest"

Divest

/daɪˈvɛst/

1. To take away or deprive someone or something of (something); to rid oneself of.
- Example: The company decided to divest its non-core assets in order to focus on its primary business.
2. To sell off holdings, especially in investments or properties.
- Example: Investors were urged to divest from companies that do not meet environmental standards.
3. To strip or remove a title or position.
- Example: The court ruled that he would be divested of his title due to misconduct.
4. To remove or rid oneself of something (often used in context with investments).
- Example: In response to the market downturn, she decided to divest her shares in the tech company.

From Middle English 'divesten', from Old French 'divestir', from Latin 'divestire', meaning 'to undress'.

divest oneself of:

To rid oneself of something unwanted or burdensome.

divest in favor of:

To sell or remove interests in favor of something else.

invest:

To put money into something in order to gain a profit.

asset:

A resource owned by a business or individual that has economic value.

Meaning: To ditch or drop something.

Example Sentence: I'm planning to divest my old car for something newer.

Meaning: To bail out of an investment.

Example Sentence: He's thinking about divesting from that sketchy startup.