/ daɪˈvest; NAmE / verb [ vn ] ( formal )
1.
divest sb / yourself of sth to remove clothes :
He divested himself of his jacket.
2.
divest yourself of sth to get rid of sth :
The company is divesting itself of some of its assets.
3.
divest sb/sth of sth to take sth away from sb/sth :
After her illness she was divested of much of her responsibility.
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: alteration of devest , from Old French desvestir , from des- (expressing removal) + Latin vestire (from vestis garment).