slough
v.v. to shed or cast off something that is no longer needed, like how a snake loses its old skin. You can also use it to describe getting rid of a bad habit or a sad feeling.
v. to shed or cast off a layer of dead skin or a similar covering. Often used metaphorically to describe the process of discarding a burdensome habit, quality, or emotional state.
The snake will slough its skin as it grows larger.
After years of corporate life, he decided to slough off his old identity and start a farm.
The therapy sessions helped her slough off the deep-seated resentment she had carried since childhood, allowing her to approach new relationships with a sense of renewal.
From Middle English Slo, perhaps related to the noun slough (“marsh”) (referring to the land) or to sloe (referring to bushes).
Often functions as a phrasal verb when paired with 'off'.
the snake sloughed its skin off of its bodythe snake sloughed off its skinWhen used as a phrasal verb, 'slough off' is transitive and does not require the extra preposition 'of'.