devise
to contrive, plan, or elaborate; invent from existing principles or ideas: to devise a method.
Theater. to develop (a play) collaboratively with the performers: Based on the lives of women in engineering, the students devised the play themselves.
Law. to assign or transmit (property) by will.
Archaic. to imagine; suppose.
Law.
the act of disposing of property, especially real property, by will.
a will or clause in a will disposing of property, especially real property.
the property so disposed of.
Origin of devise
1synonym study For devise
Other words from devise
- de·vis·er, noun
- pre·de·vise, verb (used with object), pre·de·vised, pre·de·vis·ing.
Words that may be confused with devise
- device, devise
Words Nearby devise
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use devise in a sentence
As a society, we devise laws that are meant to make society a just place for all—but we fail so often.
‘Gods of Suburbia’: Dina Goldstein’s Arresting Photo Series on Religion vs. Consumerism | Dina Goldstein | November 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTU.S. military officials say Nagata helped devise much of U.S. special operations support for Jordan.
Obama Taps Star General to Build Syrian Rebel Army to Fight ISIS | Josh Rogin, Eli Lake | September 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn 2007, curriculum experts began to devise the new Common Core standards with input from the states.
The Incredibly Stupid War on the Common Core | Charles Upton Sahm | April 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTShe has so many sexual partners—about eight different men a day—that she has to devise a scheduling system to keep them in check.
‘Nymphomaniac,’ Lars von Trier’s Icy Orgy of Sex and Self-Loathing, Bows At Sundance | Marlow Stern | January 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAfter seeing injuries to infant girl, suspects devise alibi.
Israel to Simulate Chemical Attack By Suicide Bomber | Orly Halpern | December 5, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
To meet this heavy expense the ministers had to devise all sorts of expedients to raise money.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonA more potent and public method of ridicule would be difficult to devise.
A Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope | Colley CibberThus the facts help us devise the number phrase, and the phrase helps revive the facts.
Assimilative Memory | Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)But the prince will devise such things as are worthy of a prince, and he shall stand above the rulers.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | VariousNo lawgiver had ever been able to devise a perfect and immortal form of government.
The History of England from the Accession of James II. | Thomas Babington Macaulay
British Dictionary definitions for devise
/ (dɪˈvaɪz) /
to work out, contrive, or plan (something) in one's mind
(tr) law to dispose of (property, esp real property) by will
(tr) obsolete to imagine or guess
a disposition of property by will
the property so transmitted: Compare bequeath (def. 1)
a will or clause in a will disposing of real property: Compare bequest (def. 2)
Origin of devise
1Derived forms of devise
- deviser, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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