Adjacent Words

Devise definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DEVISE, v.t. s as z. [L.]
1. To invent; to contrive; to form in the mind by new combinations of ideas, new applications of principles, or new arrangement of parts; to excogitate; to strike out by thought; to plan; to scheme; to project; as, to devise an engine or machine; to devise a new mode of writing; to devise a plan of defense; to devise arguments.
To devise curious works in gold and silver. Exodus 35.
In a bad sense:
Devise not evil against thy neighbor. Proverbs 3.
2. To give or bequeath by will, as land or other real estate.
DEVISE, v.i. To consider; to contrive; to lay a plan; to form a scheme.
Devise how you will use him, when he comes.
Formerly followed by of; as, let us devise of ease.
DEVISE, n.
1. Primarily, a dividing or division; hence, the act of bequeathing by will; the act of giving or distributing real estate by a testator.
2. A will or testament.
3. A share of estate bequeathed.
DEVISE, n. Contrivance; scheme invented.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a will disposing of real property
2: (law) a gift of real property by will v
1: come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort; "excogitate a way to measure the speed of light" [syn: invent, contrive, devise, excogitate, formulate, forge]
2: arrange by systematic planning and united effort; "machinate a plot"; "organize a strike"; "devise a plan to take over the director's office" [syn: organize, organise, prepare, devise, get up, machinate]
3: give by will, especially real property

Merriam Webster's

I. transitive verb (devised; devising) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French deviser, diviser, to divide, distinguish, invent, from Vulgar Latin *divisare, frequentative of Latin dividere to divide Date: 13th century 1. a. to form in the mind by new combinations or applications of ideas or principles ; invent <devise a new strategy> b. archaic conceive, imagine c. to plan to obtain or bring about ; plot <devise one's death> 2. to give (real estate) by will — compare bequeath • devisable adjective • deviser noun II. noun Date: 15th century 1. the act of giving or disposing of real property by will 2. a will or clause of a will disposing of real property 3. property devised by will

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v.tr. 1 plan or invent by careful thought. 2 Law leave (real estate) by the terms of a will (cf. BEQUEATH). --n. 1 the act or an instance of devising. 2 Law a devising clause in a will. Derivatives: devisable adj. devisee n. (in sense 2 of v.). deviser n. devisor n. (in sense 2 of v.). Etymology: ME f. OF deviser ult. f. L dividere divis- DIVIDE: (n.) f. OF devise f. med.L divisa fem. past part. of dividere

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Devise De*vise", v. i. To form a scheme; to lay a plan; to contrive; to consider. I thought, devised, and Pallas heard my prayer. --Pope. Note: Devise was formerly followed by of; as, let us devise of ease. --Spenser.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Devise 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Devise 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Devise De*vise", n. Device. See Device. [Obs.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(devises, devising, devised) If you devise a plan, system, or machine, you have the idea for it and design it. We devised a scheme to help him... VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Contrive, invent, imagine, plan, scheme, project, brew, concert, concoct, compass. 2. Bequeath, demise, leave, give by will. II. n. Bequest, legacy.

Moby Thesaurus

add a codicil, arrange, assemble, assign, attested copy, beget, bequeath, bequeathal, bequest, bestow, blueprint, breed, bring forth, bring into being, build, calculate, call into being, cast, chart, codicil, cogitate, coin, collogue, collude, compose, compound, conceive, concert, concoct, connive, conspire, construct, contrive, convey, cook up, create, cut out, design, develop, discover, dispose of, dope out, draft, dream up, elaborate, engender, entail, erect, evolve, execute a will, extrude, fabricate, fashion, figure, forecast, forge, form, formulate, frame, fudge together, generate, get up, give, give being to, give rise to, hand down, hand on, hatch, hatch up, improvise, indite, inheritance, intend, intrigue, invent, lay plans, leave, legacy, legate, machinate, make, make a bequest, make a projection, make a will, make arrangements, make do with, make up, manufacture, mature, methodize, mint, mold, organize, originate, pass on, patch together, piece together, plan, plan ahead, prearrange, prefabricate, prepare, probate, procreate, produce, program, project, put together, put up, raise, rationalize, rear, run up, schedule, schematize, scheme, set up, shape, spawn, strike out, systematize, testament, think out, think up, transfer, transmit, vamp up, whomp up, will, will and bequeath, will to, work out, work up, write