Word: divest (verb)

Associations

"Divest" means to take away something, usually property, rights, or possessions, from someone or something. It often relates to selling off assets or removing investments. It can also mean to strip or deprive someone of something.

Examples:

• A company may divest a part of its business to focus on its core activities. (Selling a part of the company)
• An investor might divest from stocks that don’t align with their values. (Removing investments)
• A person can be divested of their rights if they break the law. (Losing rights)

Synonym: "Sell" or "dispose of" are similar, but "divest" is more formal and often used in business or legal contexts. Unlike "sell," "divest" emphasizes the act of getting rid of something deliberately, sometimes for strategic reasons.

Substitution

Instead of "divest," you could say:

• "Sell" – if you mean selling something.
• "Strip" – if you mean taking something away forcefully.
• "Dispose of" – if you mean getting rid of something.
• "Unload" – informal, for selling or getting rid of something quickly.

Each substitution changes the tone or formality slightly.

Deconstruction

"Divest" comes from Latin:

• Prefix "di-" means "away" or "off."
• Root "vest" comes from Latin "vestire," meaning "to clothe" or "to dress." So, originally, "divest" meant to "take off clothes," and now it means to "take away possessions or rights."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where a company might want to divest part of its business? Why?
• Have you ever divested or gotten rid of something important to you? How did it feel?
• How is divesting different from just selling something casually? When might it be important to use "divest"?