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devise

 - 5 dictionary results

de⋅vise

  [di-vahyz] verb, -vised, -vis⋅ing, noun
Use devise in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to contrive, plan, or elaborate; invent from existing principles or ideas: to devise a method.
2. Law. to assign or transmit (property) by will.
3. Archaic. to imagine; suppose.
–verb (used without object)
4. to form a plan; contrive.
–noun
5. Law.
a. the act of disposing of property, esp. real property, by will.
b. a will or clause in a will disposing of property, esp. real property.
c. the property so disposed of.
Origin:
1150–1200; (v.) ME devisen to inspect, design, compose < OF deviser < VL *dēvīsāre, for *dīvīsāre, freq. of L dīvidere to divide; (n.) see device

Related forms:
de⋅vis⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. See prepare.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To devise
de·vise   (dĭ-vīz')   
tr.v.   de·vised, de·vis·ing, de·vis·es

  1. To form, plan, or arrange in the mind; design or contrive: devised a new system for handling mail orders.

  2. Law To transmit or give (real property) by will.

  3. Archaic To suppose; imagine.

n.   Law

    1. The act of transmitting or giving real property by will.

    2. The property or lands so transmitted or given.

  2. A will or clause in a will transmitting or giving real property.


[Middle English devisen, from Old French deviser, from Vulgar Latin *dēvīsāre, from Latin *dīvīsāre, frequentative of dīvidere, to divide; see divide.]
de·vis'a·ble adj., de·vis'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

devise 
c.1300, from O.Fr. deviser "dispose in portions, arrange, plan, contrive," from V.L. *divisare, freq. of L. dividere "to divide" (see divide). Modern sense is from "to arrange a division" (especially via a will), a meaning present in the O.Fr. word.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: de·vise
Pronunciation: di-'vIz
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: de·vised; de·vis·ing
Etymology: Anglo-French deviser to divide, share, bequeath, ultimately from Latin dividere to divide
: to give (property) by will; specifically : to give (real property) by will —compare ALIENATE, BEQUEATH, CONVEY —de·vis·able adjective —de·vi·sor /"de-v&-'zor; di-'vI-"zor, -z&r/ noun

Main Entry: devise
Function: noun
1 : a gift of property made in a will; specifically : a gift of real property made in a will —see also ABATE, ADEMPTION —compare DISTRIBUTION
NOTE: Formerly devise was used to refer only to gifts of real property, and legacy and bequest were used only to refer to gifts of personal property. These distinctions are no longer closely followed. The Uniform Probate Code uses devise to refer to any gifts made in a will.
executory devise
: a devise of an interest in land that will vest in the future upon the occurrence of a contingency and that can follow a fee simple estate
NOTE: Executory devises were invented as a way of getting around the rule in Shelley's case, which is now largely abolished.
general devise
: a devise that is to be distributed from the general assets of an estate and that is not of a particular thing
re·sid·u·ary devise
/ri-'zi-j&-"wer-E-/
: a devise of whatever is left in an estate after all other debts and devises have been paid or distributed
spe·cif·ic devise
: a devise of a particular item or part of an estate that is payable only from a specified source in the estate and not from the general assets
2 : a clause in a will disposing of property and esp. real property
3 : property disposed of by a will
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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