délester

From dé- +‎ lester.

• IPA^(key): /de.lɛs.te/

• Audio:

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délester

1. (transitive) to unballast, to remove ballast from (a ship, balloon, etc.)
2. (transitive, figuratively) to divert, to decongest (traffic, a road, etc.)

   délester une route ― to divert traffic from a road, to reduce congestion on a road

3. (transitive, informal) to rid, to relieve (someone)
   • 2019, Alain Damasio, chapter 2, in Les furtifs [The Stealthies], La Volte, →ISBN:

     J’avais l’impression, fugitive, de m’élever. D’approcher d’une sorte de magie du verbe, délesté de toute scorie, de tout gras.

     I had the fleeting impression of rising. Of approaching a sort of the verb, relieve of all slag, of all fat.

4. (transitive, informal) to rob (someone)

   délester une vieille dame de ses bijoux ― to steal an old lady's jewellery/jewelry (literally, “to rob an old lady of her jewellery/jewelry”)

5. (reflexive) to get rid of, to cast off
6. (reflexive, figuratively) to get rid, to unburden oneself, to relieve oneself

• “délester”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.