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| di·vest [ di vést, dī vést ] (past and past participle di·vest·ed, present participle di·vest·ing, 3rd person present singular di·vests) |
transitive verb |
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| Definition: |
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1. take something away from somebody: to take away something, especially status or power, from somebody or something
(
often passive
)
  The report divested the organization of its mystique.
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2. make somebody give up something: to rid somebody or yourself of something, especially a belief or idea
divested herself of the notion
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3. make somebody take something off: to remove something, usually clothes, from somebody or yourself
(
formal or humorous
)
divested himself of his coat
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4. law give away property rights: to lose or give away rights to the possession of property, or deprive somebody of them
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| [Early 17th century. Alteration of obsolete devest "deprive" < Old French de(s)vester "undress" < vestir "clothe" < Latin vestire] |
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