a thing made for a particular purpose; an invention or contrivance, esp. a mechanical or electrical one.
2.
a plan or scheme for effecting a purpose.
3.
a crafty scheme; trick.
4.
a particular word pattern, figure of speech, combination of word sounds, etc., used in a literary work to evoke a desired effect or arouse a desired reaction in the reader: rhetorical devices.
5.
something elaborately or fancifully designed.
6.
a representation or design used as a heraldic charge or as an emblem, badge, trademark, or the like.
7.
a motto.
8.
Archaic. devising; invention.
[Origin: 1375–1425; b. late ME devis division, discourse and devise heraldic device, will; both < AF, OF < L dīvīsa, fem. of dīvīsus; see division]
A contrivance or an invention serving a particular purpose, especially a machine used to perform one or more relatively simple tasks.
A technique or means.
A plan or scheme, especially a malign one.
A literary contrivance, such as parallelism or personification, used to achieve a particular effect.
A decorative design, figure, or pattern, as one used in embroidery. See Synonyms at figure.
A graphic symbol or motto, especially in heraldry.
Archaic The act, state, or power of devising.
[Middle English, from Old French devis, division, wish, and Old French devise, design, both from Latin dīvīsus, dīvīsa, past participle of dīvidere, to divide, separate; see divide.]
c.1290, from O.Fr. devis "division, separation, disposition, wish, desire," from L. divisus, pp. of dividere "to divide" (see divide). Sense of "method by which something is divided" arose in Fr. and led to modern meaning.
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water"
2.
something in an artistic work designed to achieve a particular effect
3.
any clever maneuver; "he would stoop to any device to win a point"; "it was a great sales gimmick"; "a cheap promotions gimmick for greedy businessmen"
4.
any ornamental pattern or design (as in embroidery)
5.
an emblematic design (especially in heraldry); "he was recognized by the device on his shield"
Main Entry: de·vice Pronunciation: di-'vIs Function: noun : a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed to serve a special purpose or perform a
special function
Con*triv"ance\, n. 1. The act or faculty of contriving, inventing, devising, or planning. The machine which we are inspecting demonstrates, by its construction, contrivance and design. Contrivance must have had a contriver. --Paley. 2. The thing contrived, invented, or planned; disposition of parts or causes by design; a scheme; plan; atrifice; arrangement. Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. --Burke. Syn: Device; plan; scheme; invention; machine; project; design; artifice; shift. See Device.
De*vice"\, n. [OE. devis, devise, will, intention, opinion, invention, fr. F. devis architect's plan and estimates (in OF., division, plan, wish), devise device (in sense 3), in OF. also, division, wish, last will, fr. deviser. See Devise, v. t., and cf. Devise, n.]1. That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice. His device in against Babylon, to destroy it. --Jer. li. 11. Their recent device of demanding benevolences. --Hallam. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. --Job v. 12. 2. Power of devising; invention; contrivance. I must have instruments of my own device. --Landor. 3. (a) An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic bearings to denote the historical situation, the ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See Cognizance. (b) Improperly, an heraldic bearing. Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by devices on their shields. --Addison. A banner with this strange device - Excelsior. --Longfellow. 4. Anything fancifully conceived. --Shak. 5. A spectacle or show. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl. 6. Opinion; decision. [Obs.] --Rom. of R. Syn: Contrivance; invention; design; scheme; project; stratagem; shift. Usage: -- Device, Contrivance. Device implies more of inventive power, and contrivance more of skill and dexterity in execution. A device usually has reference to something worked out for exhibition or show; a contrivance usually respects the arrangement or disposition of things with reference to securing some end. Devices were worn by knights-errant on their shields; contrivances are generally used to promote the practical convenience of life. The word device is often used in a bad sense; as, a crafty device; contrivance is almost always used in a good sense; as, a useful contrivance.
De*vice"\, n. [OE. devis, devise, will, intention, opinion, invention, fr. F. devis architect's plan and estimates (in OF., division, plan, wish), devise device (in sense 3), in OF. also, division, wish, last will, fr. deviser. See Devise, v. t., and cf. Devise, n.]1. That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice. His device in against Babylon, to destroy it. --Jer. li. 11. Their recent device of demanding benevolences. --Hallam. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. --Job v. 12. 2. Power of devising; invention; contrivance. I must have instruments of my own device. --Landor. 3. (a) An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic bearings to denote the historical situation, the ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See Cognizance. (b) Improperly, an heraldic bearing. Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by devices on their shields. --Addison. A banner with this strange device - Excelsior. --Longfellow. 4. Anything fancifully conceived. --Shak. 5. A spectacle or show. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl. 6. Opinion; decision. [Obs.] --Rom. of R. Syn: Contrivance; invention; design; scheme; project; stratagem; shift. Usage: -- Device, Contrivance. Device implies more of inventive power, and contrivance more of skill and dexterity in execution. A device usually has reference to something worked out for exhibition or show; a contrivance usually respects the arrangement or disposition of things with reference to securing some end. Devices were worn by knights-errant on their shields; contrivances are generally used to promote the practical convenience of life. The word device is often used in a bad sense; as, a crafty device; contrivance is almost always used in a good sense; as, a useful contrivance.
De*vise"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devised; p. pr. & vb. n. Devising.] [OF. deviser to distribute, regulate, direct, relate, F., to chat, fr. L. divisus divided, distributed, p. p. of dividere. See Divide, and cf. Device.]1. To form in the mind by new combinations of ideas, new applications of principles, or new arrangement of parts; to formulate by thought; to contrive; to excogitate; to invent; to plan; to scheme; as, to devise an engine, a new mode of writing, a plan of defense, or an argument. To devise curious works. --Ex. CCTV. 32. Devising schemes to realize his ambitious views. --Bancroft. 2. To plan or scheme for; to purpose to obtain. For wisdom is most riches; fools therefore They are which fortunes do by vows devise. --Spenser. 3. To say; to relate; to describe. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 4. To imagine; to guess. [Obs.] --Spenser. 5. (Law) To give by will; -- used of real estate; formerly, also, of chattels. Syn: To bequeath; invent; discover; contrive; excogitate; imagine; plan; scheme. See Bequeath.
De*vise"\, n. [OF. devise division, deliberation, wish, will, testament. See Device.]1. The act of giving or disposing of real estate by will; -- sometimes improperly applied to a bequest of personal estate. 2. A will or testament, conveying real estate; the clause of a will making a gift of real property. Fines upon devises were still exacted. --Bancroft. 3. Property devised, or given by will.
Di*vide"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Divided; p. pr. & vb. n. Dividing.] [L. dividere, divisum; di- = dis- + root signifying to part; cf. Skr. vyadh to pierce; perh. akin to L. vidua widow, and E. widow. Cf. Device, Devise.]1. To part asunder (a whole); to sever into two or more parts or pieces; to sunder; to separate into parts. Divide the living child in two. --1 Kings iii. 25. 2. To cause to be separate; to keep apart by a partition, or by an imaginary line or limit; as, a wall divides two houses; a stream divides the towns. Let it divide the waters from the waters. --Gen. i. 6. 3. To make partition of among a number; to apportion, as profits of stock among proprietors; to give in shares; to distribute; to mete out; to share. True justice unto people to divide. --Spenser. Ye shall divide the land by lot. --Num. xxxiii. 54. 4. To disunite in opinion or interest; to make discordant or hostile; to set at variance. If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom can not stand. --Mark iii. 24. Every family became now divided within itself. --Prescott. 5. To separate into two parts, in order to ascertain the votes for and against a measure; as, to divide a legislative house upon a question. 6. (Math.) To subject to arithmetical division. 7. (Logic) To separate into species; -- said of a genus or generic term. 8. (Mech.) To mark divisions on; to graduate; as, to divide a sextant. 9. (Music) To play or sing in a florid style, or with variations. [Obs.] --Spenser. Syn: To sever; dissever; sunder; cleave; disjoin; disunite; detach; disconnect; part; distribute; share.
Point`-de*vice"\, Point-devise \Point`-de*vise"\, a. [OE. at point devis; at at + point point, condition + devis exact, careful, OF. devis fixed, set. See Device.] Uncommonly nice and exact; precise; particular. You are rather point-devise in your accouterments. --Shak. Thus he grew up, in logic point-devise, Perfect in grammar, and in rhetoric nice. --Longfellow.
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