Adjacent Words

Device definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DEVICE, n. [L.]
1. That which is formed by design, or invented; scheme; artificial contrivance; stratagem; project; sometimes in a good sense; more generally in a bad sense, as artifices are usually employed for bad purposes.
In a good sense:
His device is against Babylon, to destroy it. Jeremiah 51.
In a bad sense:
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. Job 5.
They imagined a mischievous device. Psalms 212.
2. An emblem intended to represent a family, person, action or quality, with a suitable motto; used in painting, sculpture and heraldry. It consists in a metaphorical similitude between the things representing and represented, as the figure of a plow representing agriculture.
Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by devices on their shields.
3. Invention; genius; faculty of devising; as a man of noble device.
4. A spectacle or show.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: 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" [syn: device, gimmick, twist]
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"

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English devis, devise, from Anglo-French, division, plan, from deviser to divide, regulate, tell — more at devise Date: 14th century 1. something devised or contrived: as a. (1) plan, procedure, technique (2) a scheme to deceive ; stratagem, trick b. something fanciful, elaborate, or intricate in design c. something (as a figure of speech) in a literary work designed to achieve a particular artistic effect d. archaic masque, spectacle e. a conventional stage practice or means (as a stage whisper) used to achieve a particular dramatic effect f. a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed to serve a special purpose or perform a special function <an electronic device> 2. desire, inclination <left to my own devices> 3. an emblematic design used especially as a heraldic bearing

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, esp. a mechanical contrivance. 2 a plan, scheme, or trick. 3 a an emblematic or heraldic design. b a drawing or design. 4 archaic make, look (things of rare device). Phrases and idioms: leave a person to his or her own devices leave a person to do as he or she wishes. Etymology: ME f. OF devis ult. f. L (as DIVIDE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(devices) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. A device is an object that has been invented for a particular purpose, for example for recording or measuring something. ...an electronic device that protects your vehicle 24 hours a day. N-COUNT: usu with supp 2. A device is a method of achieving something. They claim that military spending is used as a device for managing the economy. N-COUNT 3. If you leave someone to their own devices, you leave them alone to do as they wish. Left to his own devices, Osborn is a fluent–and often original–guitarist. PHRASE: V inflects

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

de-vis': "A scheme," "invention," "plot." In the Old Testament it stands for six Hebrew words, of which the most common is machashebheth (from chashabh, "to think," "contrive"). In the New Testament it occurs only twice, once for Greek enthumesis (Ac 17:29), and once for noema (2Co 2:11). Sometimes the word means simply that which is planned or invented, without any evil implication, as in 2Ch 2:14; Ac 17:29 (of artistic work or invention), and Ec 9:10 (in the general sense of reasoning or contriving). But more frequently it is used in an evil sense, of a wicked purpose or plot, "Let us devise devices against Jeremiah" (Jer 18:18); "For we are not ignorant of his (i.e. Satan's) devices" (2Co 2:11), etc.

D. Miall Edwards

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Contrivance, invention, scheme, design, plan, project, expedient, shift, resort, resource. 2. Artifice, stratagem, wile, ruse, manoeuvre, trick, fraud, evasion. 3. Design, fanciful conception, piece of fancy. 4. Emblem, symbol, type, sign, emblazoned bearing. 5. Motto, emblematic legend, legend.

Moby Thesaurus

AM receiver, AM tuner, AM-FM receiver, AM-FM tuner, CB, Charlie McCarthy, Fathometer, Flexowriter typewriter, Geiger counter, John Hancock, RDF, X, X-ray microscope, ability, achievement, action, ad hoc measure, agency, agent, airborne controls, alerion, alibi, alphabetic character, alternator, amplifier, anagnorisis, ancilla, angle, animal charge, annulet, anode, answer, apology, apparatus, appliance, approach, architectonics, architecture, argent, argument, armature, armorial bearings, armory, arrangement, art, artful dodge, artifice, asiaticism, atmosphere, attack, attribute, auto radio, autoclave, autoconverter, autograph, automatic pilot, automatic pistol, automatic printer, automatic sight, automatic sprinkler, automatic stop, automatic telephone, automaton, autostarter, autotransformer, aviation radio, azure, background, badge, bag of tricks, bandeau, banner, bar, bar sinister, baton, battery charger, battery radio, bearings, behind-the-scenes influence, bend, bend sinister, billet, blazon, blazonry, blind, blueprint, blueprinting, bluff, bordure, bosey, broad arrow, broom, brush, cadency mark, calculation, calutron, canton, cap, capacitor, capacity, capital, carpet sweeper, catastrophe, catch, catchword, cathode, chaplet, character, characteristic, characterization, charge, charger, charting, chevron, chicanery, chief, choking coil, chouse, christcross, cipher, citizens band, cloak, coat of arms, cockatrice, cognizance, coil, colophon, color, comb, commutator, compensator, complication, conception, condenser, conspiracy, continuity, contraption, contrivance, controller, converter, coronet, countermark, countermove, countersign, countersignature, counterstamp, coup, coupling, course of action, cover, cover story, cover-up, craft, creation, creature, crescent, crest, cross, cross moline, crown, crystal set, currycomb, curve, curve-ball, cute trick, cutout, cytoanalyzer, deceit, demarche, denouement, depth sounder, design, desire, development, devices, 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feint, fess, fess point, fetch, ficelle, field, figurative language, figurativeness, figure, figure of speech, figuring, file, flanch, fleur-de-lis, floridity, flourish, flower, flowery style, foresight, forethought, fret, front, funds, fur, fuse, fusil, gadget, galvanic pile, galvanoscope, gambit, game, garland, generator, gimcrack, gimmick, gizmo, gloss, go-between, going between, googly, graph, grapheme, graphing, grid, griffin, grift, ground, ground plan, guided missile, guidelines, guise, gules, gyron, gyroscopic pilot, hackle, hairbrush, hallmark, hand, hand tool, handkerchief, handle, handmaid, handmaiden, hatchment, hearing aid, helmet, heraldic device, hickey, high-frequency heater, hocus-pocus, holystone, honor point, hose, idea, idiosyncrasy, ignition, image, image dissector, imagery, impalement, impaling, implement, improvisation, incident, inclination, index, indicant, indicator, induction heater, inductor, inescutcheon, influence, infrared cooker, infrared telescope, initials, inscription, insignia, instrument, instrumentality, insulator, intention, interagent, intermediary, intermediate, intermediation, intermedium, interrupter, intrigue, invention, isotron, joker, juggle, jugglery, jumper, jury-rig, jury-rigged expedient, keynote, knavery, label, lame excuse, last expedient, last resort, last shift, layout, legend, letter, lever, lever pilot, lexigraphic character, lie detector, lightning rod, line, lineup, lion, little game, local color, locus standi, logo, logotype, long-range plan, lozenge, machination, machine, machinery, magnet, magnetic recorder, magneto, magnetoscope, makeshift, maneuver, maneuvering, maneuvers, manipulation, manner of speaking, mantling, mapping, mark, mark of signature, marshaling, martlet, mascle, mask, mass spectrograph, mass spectrometer, mass spectroscope, master plan, means, measure, mechanical device, mechanical heart, mechanism, mediation, mediator, medium, metal, method, methodology, midwife, minion, monogram, mood, mop, motif, motive, motor-generator, motto, move, movement, mullet, multiplex receiver, mythos, napkin, neon light, neon tube, nombril point, nonliterality, nonliteralness, note, octofoil, operations research, or, ordinary, organ, organization, orle, ornament, oscillator, oscillograph, oscilloscope, ostensible motive, outlet, pacemaker, pale, paly, pass, pattern, pawn, pean, peculiarity, peripeteia, pheon, phonetic character, phonetic symbol, photoelectric counter, photoelectric recorder, photoelectric sorter, photoflash bulb, pictographic character, picture, pile, pis aller, plan, planning, planning function, play, plaything, pleasure, plot, ploy, plug, pocket, pocket radio, points, political influence, polygraph, poor excuse, power, power tool, preamplifier, prearrangement, precision tool, pretense, pretension, pretext, procedure, program, program of action, property, protestation, public motive, pumice stone, puppet, purple passage, purpure, push button, put-off, quarter, 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coil, spark plug, spectrophotometer, speed tool, speedometer, sponge, spread eagle, stalking-horse, stamp, starter, step, step-down transformer, stereo, stock, stooge, stopgap, story, stratagem, strategic plan, strategy, stroke, stroke of policy, structure, subject, subordinary, subplot, subscription, subterfuge, sudarium, superheterodyne, supply, sure sign, swab, switch, syllabic, symbol, symptom, synchronous converter, system, systematization, table radio, tactic, tactical maneuvers, tactical plan, tactics, tag line, tap, telltale sign, temporary expedient, tenne, terminal, the big picture, the picture, thematic development, theme, thermal timing relay, thingumajig, time switch, time-delay relay, timer, tincture, toggle switch, tone, tool, toothbrush, toothpick, topic, torse, towel, toy, trait, transceiver, transformer, transmit-receiver, tressure, trick, trickery, trickle charger, trope, trump, tuner, turn of expression, twist, type, unicorn, utensil, vacuum cleaner, vair, varnish, vehicle, veil, vert, visa, vise, voltage changer, voltage regulator, voltage transformer, walkie-talkie, washboard, washer, washing machine, watcher, watchword, way, way of speaking, ways, ways and means, weapon, wherewith, wherewithal, whim, whisk, widget, wile, will, wily device, wire-pulling, wisp, working hypothesis, working plan, working proposition, wreath, wringer, writing, written character, yale