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Webster 1913 Edition

Devise

De-vise′

,
Verb.
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.
Syn. – To bequeath; invent; discover; contrive; excogitate; imagine; plan; scheme. See
Bequeath
.

De-vise′

,
Verb.
I.
To form a scheme; to lay a plan; to contrive; to consider.
I thought,
devised
, and Pallas heard my prayer.
Pope.
☞ Devise was formerly followed by of; as, let us devise of ease.
Spenser.

De-vise′

,
Noun.
[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.

De-vise′

,
Noun.
Device. See
Device
.
[Obs.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Devise

DEVISE

,
Verb.
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

,
Verb.
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

,
Noun.
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

,
Noun.
Contrivance; scheme invented.

Definition 2024

Devise

Devise

See also: devise and devisé

German

Noun

Devise f ‎(genitive Devise, plural Devisen)

  1. motto
  2. (finance, plural only) foreign currency

Declension

devise

devise

See also: Devise and devisé

English

Verb

devise ‎(third-person singular simple present devises, present participle devising, simple past and past participle devised)

  1. (transitive) To use one's intellect to plan or design (something).
    to devise an argument; to devise a machine, or a new system of writing
    • Bancroft
      devising schemes to realize his ambitious views
    • 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational Grammar, Cambridge: University Press, ISBN 0-521-34750-5, page 23:
      Thus, the task of the linguist devising a grammar which models the linguistic competence of the fluent native speaker is to devise a finite set of rules which are capable of specifying how to form, interpret, and pronounce an infinite set of well-formed sentences.
  2. (transitive) To leave (property) in a will.
  3. (intransitive, archaic) To form a scheme; to lay a plan; to contrive; to consider.
    • Alexander Pope
      I thought, devised, and Pallas heard my prayer.
  4. (transitive, archaic) To plan or scheme for; to plot to obtain.
    • Spenser
      For wisdom is most riches; fools therefore / They are which fortunes do by vows devise.
  5. (obsolete) To imagine; to guess.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)

Translations

Noun

devise ‎(plural devises)

  1. The act of leaving real property in a will.
  2. Such a will, or a clause in such a will.
    • Bancroft
      Fines upon devises were still exacted.
  3. The real property left in such a will.
  4. Design, devising.
    • 2010, Carl Anderson, Fragments of a Scattered Brain (ISBN 1453547460), page 83
      I don't know how I got to be so sour on life, but I'm constantly in solitary confinement of my own devise, […]

See also

Anagrams

French

Etymology

From deviser.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /dəviz/

Noun

devise f ‎(plural devises)

  1. currency
  2. (heraldry) motto

Verb

devise

  1. first-person singular present indicative of deviser
  2. third-person singular present indicative of deviser
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of deviser
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of deviser
  5. second-person singular imperative of deviser

Anagrams

Etymology

From French devise.

Pronunciation

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