Meaning of DEVOLVE
| Pronunciation: | | di'vâlv
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 WordNet Dictionary |
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- [v] be inherited by; "The estate fell to my sister"; "The land returned to the family"; "The estate devolved to an heir that everybody had assumed to be dead"
- [v] pass on or delegate to another; "The representative devolved his duties to his aides while he was in the hospital"
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| | Synonyms: | | fall, pass, return |
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| | See Also: | | assign, change hands, delegate, depute, designate, light | |
| Webster's 1913 Dictionary |
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\De*volve"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Devolved}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Devolving}.] [L. devolvere, devolutum, to roll down;
de + volvere to roll down; de + volvere to roll. See
{Voluble}.]
1. To roll onward or downward; to pass on.
Every headlong stream Devolves its winding waters to
the main. --Akenside.
Devolved his rounded periods. --Tennyson.
2. To transfer from one person to another; to deliver over;
to hand down; -- generally with upon, sometimes with to or
into.
They devolved a considerable share of their power
upon their favorite. --Burke.
They devolved their whole authority into the hands
of the council of sixty. --Addison.
\De*volve"\, v. i.
To pass by transmission or succession; to be handed over or
down; -- generally with on or upon, sometimes with to or
into; as, after the general fell, the command devolved upon
(or on) the next officer in rank.
His estate . . . devolved to Lord Somerville.
--Johnson.
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| Thesaurus Terms |
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| | Related Terms: | | accredit, assign, authorize, change hands, change ownership, charge, charter, commission, commit, consign, delegate, depute, deputize, descend, detach, detail, devolute, devolve upon, empower, entrust, give in charge, license, mission, pass on, post, send out, succeed, transfer, warrant |
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