Phrasal verb
hive off
Definition
phr.v. to separate a small part of a company or group to make it independent or to sell it.
phr.v. to segregate a department, subsidiary, or asset from a parent entity, typically to form a new company or facilitate a divestment.
Examples
“The company plans to hive off its software division.”
“The government decided to hive off the postal service into a private company to reduce public spending.”
“By hiving off its non-core assets, the conglomerate aimed to streamline operations and regain the confidence of its primary shareholders.”
Examples
simple
“The company plans to hive off its software division.”
contextual
“The government decided to hive off the postal service into a private company to reduce public spending.”
complex
“By hiving off its non-core assets, the conglomerate aimed to streamline operations and regain the confidence of its primary shareholders.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; it is often followed by the preposition 'into'.
Teaching tip
the term comes from beekeeping, where a new colony is separated from a crowded hive; this image helps students understand the concept of 'splitting off' a smaller part.
This term is most common in British business contexts. In American English, 'spin off' is the more frequent equivalent for creating a new company.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
optional
Pattern
hive + off + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/hive-off