From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhive something ↔ off phrasal verb British EnglishBSELLto sell one part of a business the trend for television companies to hive off their advertising departments → hiveFrom Longman Business Dictionaryhive something → off phrasal verb [transitive] British EnglishFINANCE to separate one part of a business or organization from the rest, for example by selling it or using it to form a new companyhive something off into/as somethingThe computer software part of the business has been hived off into a new company. → hive
