devolvev.
/dɪˈvɒlv/ I. transitive.† 4. To throw (a person) upon (some resource).
1. figurative.1583 P. Barrough Methode of Phisicke Pref. sig. *iiijv Whose names are deuolded and brought vnto vs by the succession of ages.1830 Ld. Tennyson Character He spake of virtue..And with..a lack-lustre dead-blue eye, Devolved his rounded periods.† b. To roll over so as to cause to fall; to overturn, overthrow. Obsolete.† c. To roll away (from a person). Obsolete.† d. To roll (to and fro). Obsolete. rare.
a. To roll down; to cause to descend with rolling motion; also to unroll (something rolled up), to unfurl (a sail). archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > cause to flow [verb (transitive)] > cause to flow down
devolvec1420
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > causing to come or go down > cause to come or go down [verb (transitive)] > roll down
devolvec1420
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of sails, spars, or rigging > carry specific amount of sail [verb (transitive)] > set or spread (sails) > unfurl
unwrap1582
to let fly1627
unfurl1717
devolve1765
break1889
c1420 Pallad. on Husb. xi. 497 Thenne hem to the presses they devolve.
1623 H. Cockeram Eng. Dict. Deuolue, to role downe.
1641 A. Mervyn Speech at Impeachm. Richard Bolton 11 These like strawes and chips playd in the streames, untill they are devolv'd in the Ocean of their deserved ruine.
1700 M. Prior Carmen Sæculare 11 His Thames,..with fair Speed devolving fruitful Streams.
1759 A. Murphy Orphan of China ii. 22 Where the Tanais Devolves his icy tribute to the sea.
1765 J. Beattie Judgment of Paris 16 Who..All to the storm th' unfetter'd sail devolve.
1846 T. De Quincey Syst. Heavens in Tait's Edinb. Mag. Sept. 568/1 Where little England..now devolves so quietly to the sea her sweet pastoral rivulets.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > causing to come or go down > cause to come or go down [verb (transitive)] > capsize or upset
overcastc1230
overturnc1300
overthrowc1330
to-turna1382
overwhelm?a1400
tilta1400
tipa1400
welt?a1400
overtiltc1400
tirvec1420
reverse?a1439
devolvec1470
subvert1479
welter?a1505
renverse1521
tumble1534
verse1556
upturn1567
overwhirl1577
rewalt1587
subverse1590
overset1599
overtumble1600
walt1611
to fetch up1615
ramvert1632
treveer1636
transvolve1644
capsize1788
upset1806
keel1828
overwelt1828
pitch-pole1851
purl1856
c1470 J. Hardyng Chron. xcviii. iv All his nacyon Deuolued were, and from theyr ryght expelled.
1608 T. Heywood Rape of Lucrece sig. Iv They behind him will deuolue the bridge.
a1658 J. Cleveland Wks. (1687) 215 That pious Arch whereon the building stood, Which broke, the whole's devolv'd into a Flood.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming out > letting or sending out > let or send out [verb (transitive)] > expel > specific immaterial things
wrench?c1225
outrage?a1439
express1547
expectorate1621
devolve1654
1654 T. Gataker Disc. Apol. 10 He was solicitous to devolv and depel from himself..the note of avarice.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > alternating or reciprocating motion > oscillation > oscillate [verb (transitive)] > cause to sway
sway1555
showd1599
roll1608
devolve1726
nod1818
1726 E. Fenton in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey V. xx. 35 Ulysses so, from side to side devolv'd, In self-debate the Suitors doom resolv'd.
2. figurative. To cause to pass down by the revolution of time (into some state or condition).
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > [verb (transitive)] > cause to be or become
seta1000
workOE
makeOE
puta1382
turna1393
yieldc1430
breedc1460
rendera1522
devolve1533
cause1576
infer1667
1533 J. Bellenden tr. Livy Hist. Rome (1822) ii. 145 All the soumes, quhilkis war afore devolvit in dett, war commandit to be restorit to thair creditouris.
1545 G. Joye Expos. Daniel (xi.) f. 182v Thus was the worlde 47. yeris before crystis birthe deuolued into the fourth Monarchie called the Romane and last empyre.
1644 P. Hunton Vindic. Treat. Monarchy viii. 57 That State was then devolved into a Monarchy by Conquest.
3. figurative. To cause to pass to or fall upon (a person).† b. To cause to pass (to or into the hands of another); especially through the failure or forfeiture of the previous holders. Obsolete.† c. To cause to fall or alight (on or upon an object). Obsolete.
a. To cause to pass down by inheritance or legal succession (to another).
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal right > right of possession or ownership > right to succeed to title, position, or estate > succession > cause to descend by succession [verb (transitive)]
devolute1548
devolvea1552
a1552 J. Leland Itinerary (1711) VI. 23 The Dykes Landes by Heyres generalles is devolvid now to Mr. Goring and to Mr. Deringe.
1590 H. Swinburne Briefe Treat. Test. & Willes vii. f. 291 The legacie is not devolved to his executors.
1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 569 The inheritance diuolued by marriage vnto the Maynards.
1656 B. Harris tr. J. N. de Parival Hist. Iron Age i. i. xi. 19 They grew to be devolved under the House of Burgundy.
1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 121. ⁋5 Students..can seldom add more than some small particle of knowledge, to the hereditary stock devolved to them from ancient times.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > relinquishing > relinquish or give up [verb (transitive)] > hand over to another > cause to pass to another
devolve1579
1579 G. Fenton tr. F. Guicciardini Hist. Guicciardin i. 7 They were diuolued to the sea Apostolike by the disposing of the lawes.
1602 W. Fulbecke Pandectes 32 The State being now..deuolued to the dregges of the people.
1610 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes (ed. 2) 1239 Pronouncing their liues, their goods..to be confiscate and deuolued vnto the Emperour his cofers.
1622 J. Donne Serm. XV. Verse XX. Chap. Iudges 47 By their conniuence that power was deuold into a forraine Prelates hand.
1690 J. Locke Two Treat. Govt. ii. viii. (Rtldg.) 108 War..naturally devolves the command into the king's..authority.
1726 J. Ayliffe Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani 74 The Appeal operates the Effect of a Devolution; because it devolves the cause to a Superiour Judge.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > types or manners of hindrance > hinder in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > encumber > burden > cause to fall as a burden (upon)
devolve1601
saddle1729
lumber1924
to drop, throw, etc., (something) in someone's lap1962
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. 460 The denomination of these criminall Iudges..being thus deuolued vpon them, there continued.
1649 J. Milton Εικονοκλαστης iv. 30 The King..envying to see the peoples love thus devolv'd on another object.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 135 Least on my head both sin and punishment..be all Devolv'd . View more context for this quotation
a1682 Sir T. Browne Certain Misc. Tracts (1683) xi. 172 The last excuse devolveth the errour..upon Crœsus.
1702 D. Defoe Shortest-way with Dissenters 20 When our Government shall be devolv'd upon Foreigners.
d. To cause (a charge, duty, or responsibility) to fall upon (any one); esp. to throw upon or delegate to deputies duties for which the responsibility belongs to the principal. (Now a chief sense.)
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > delegated authority > investing with delegated authority > vest authority in a person [verb (transitive)] > depute or delegate authority
commit1419
depute1495
delegate1530
devolve1633
demandate1641
substitute1700
devolute1891
1633 Bp. J. Hall Plaine Explic. Hard Texts i. 316 All affaires..of the Kings houshold..shall be devolved upon his fidelity.
1641 ‘Smectynuus’ Vindic. Answer Hvmble Remonstr. (1653) x. 42 He gives this charge not to his Chancellor or Commissary, or any other man upon whom hee had devolved his power.
1762 D. Hume Hist. Eng. to Henry VII II. 148 He was obliged to devolve on others the weight of government.
1777 W. Robertson Hist. Amer. (1783) I. 183 The Spanish court..was extremely willing to devolve the burden of discovery upon its subjects.
1817 J. Mill Hist. Brit. India II. v. ii. 354 The master..becomes too weak to resume the power which he has imprudently devolved.
1847 C. G. Addison Treat. Law Contracts (1883) i. i. §2 114 A mere honorary churchwarden who..devolves all the duties of this office upon a paid colleague.
1880 C. H. Pearson in Victorian Rev. (Melbourne) Feb. 540 Those who, because they are too busy or too ignorant to discharge the higher duties of self-government, have been glad to devolve them upon their representatives.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > recourse > have recourse to [verb (transitive)] > throw (one) upon some resource
devolve1636
1636 M. Wilson Direct. to be observed by N. N. ii. 17 If the true Church may erre..we are still deuolued either vpon the private Spirit..or else vpon naturall wit and judgement.
a1672 M. Wren in J. Gutch Collectanea Curiosa (1781) I. 252 I am now devolved upon that unparalleled villainy.
1675 R. Burthogge Cavsa Dei 166 He..then intirely devolves himself on Jesus Christ for it.
II. intransitive.
5. To roll or flow down from (a source). archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > flow [verb (intransitive)] > flow down
devolve1630
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > move downwards [verb (intransitive)] > flow down
flowa1000
devolve1630
1630 H. Lord Display Two Forraigne Sects 18 Streams that had in rolling currents, from the tops of the mountains, devolved into the rivers below.
1725 E. Fenton in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. iv. 34 Two youths..whose semblant features prove Their blood devolving from the source of Jove.
1771 T. Smollett Ode to Leven-Water 17 Devolving from thy parent lake, A charming maze thy waters make.
1783 W. F. Martyn Geogr. Mag. 2 320 The quantities of snow which devolve from the superior parts of the mountain have sometimes proved fatal to travellers.
1847 R. Chambers Trad. Edinb. 188 It was a goodly sight to see the long procession devolve from the close.
6. figurative. To roll or flow on to or into (some condition).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > continuing > progress, advance, or further continuance > progress or advance in an action [verb (intransitive)] > make progress or advance (of action or operation)
fremec1000
furtherc1200
profit1340
to go onc1449
grow1487
to commence to, intoa1500
framea1529
to get ground?1529
movec1540
work1566
promove1570
advance1577
devolve1579
to come on1584
progress1612
to gain ground1625
germinate1640
proceed1670
to gather ground1697
march1702
to make its way1711
to come forward1722
develop1744
to turn a wheel1864
shape1865
come1899
1579 G. Fenton tr. F. Guicciardini Hist. Guicciardin v. 264 That the matters..would with speede diuolue to their perfection.
1579 G. Fenton tr. F. Guicciardini Hist. Guicciardin viii. 412 Thaffaires of the Pisans..seemed dayly to diuolue more and more into harder and straiter termes.
1678 A. Marvell Acct. Growth Popery in Wks. (1875) IV. 300 To raise, betwixt the King and his people, a rational jealousy of Popery and French government, till he should insensibly devolve into them.
1850 T. De Quincey Sphinx's Riddle in Hogg's Instructor New Ser. 4 177/1 Four separate movements through which this impassioned tale devolves.
7. To pass to the next in natural or conventional order.
a. To pass or fall to another, esp. through the failure or forfeiture of the earlier holder.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > transfer of property > be transferred [verb (intransitive)]
goOE
pass1416
devolvea1575
settle1629
to go overa1645
cede1756
shift1844
a1575 N. Harpsfield Treat. Divorce Henry VIII (1878) (modernized text) 184 That it should not devolve from himself and his colleague to the court of Rome.
1683 Britanniæ Speculum 66 Yet does not the Supremacy devolve to the multitude, who never yet had right to Rule, or choose their Rulers.
1757 D. Hume Hist. Great Brit. II. 53 To him the benefit of all forfeitures devolved.
1765 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. I. 22 Being then entirely abandoned by the clergy..the study and practice of it [civil law] devolved..into the hands of laymen.
1786 E. Burke Articles of Charge against W. Hastings 181 By the death of Colonel Monson, the whole power of the government of Fort William devolved to the Governor and one member of the Council.
b. To pass down, descend, or fall in course of succession to (on, upon) anyone.
ΚΠ
1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. vi. xliv. 150 The Empire thus deuolued to Dioclesian.
1655 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. I. i. 77 He had a brother who dying without issue, his estate devolved to Pittacus.
1689 J. Wildman Good Advice in Coll. Scarce & Valuable Tracts (1748) II. 341 If a King dies, he hath a Successor, and the Right devolves upon him.
a1713 T. Ellwood Hist. Life (1765) 3 This Friendship devolving from the Parents to the Children.
1752 S. Johnson Rambler No. 198. ⁋13 He died without a will, and the estate devolved to the legal heir.
1806 T. S. Surr Winter in London III. i. 25 A..considerable estate in the Cape of Good Hope, which had devolved to us through a relation of my wife's mother.
1885 Law Times 79 175/1 A service of plate bequeathed by a baronet to devolve with his baronetcy.
c. To fall as a duty or responsibility on or upon anyone.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > duty or obligation > [verb (transitive)] > fall as a duty upon
falla1402
attach1753
devolve1769
1769 W. Robertson Hist. Charles V II. iv. 286 After Bourbon's death, the command..devolved on Philibert de Chalons.
1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Odyssey in Iliad & Odyssey II. ii. 440 To us should double toil ensue, on whom the charge To parcel out his wealth would then devolve.
1819 J. Marshall Writings upon Federal Constit. (1839) 208 By the revolution, the duties..of government devolved upon the people of New Hampshire.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. xvi. 107 I knew that upon him would devolve the chief labour.
1884 Manch. Examiner 9 May 5/2 They recognise the obligation which devolves upon them.
8. Of persons:
a. To have recourse to (for support); come upon as a charge.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > recourse > have recourse to [verb (transitive)]
fang855
runOE
to take to ——?c1225
seeka1300
goc1390
to have (one's or a) recourse toc1405
recourse?a1425
suit1450
to take (also make or make one's) recourse to (also into)c1456
repairc1475
to fall to ——1490
recur1511
to take unto ——1553
flee1563
betake1590
retreat1650
to call on ——1721
devolve1744
to draw upon ——1800
to draw on ——a1817
1744 S. Johnson Acct. Life R. Savage 157 His Conduct had..wearied some..but he might..still have devolved to others, whom he might have entertained with equal Success.
1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 149. ⁋9 Multitudes are suffered by relations equally near to devolve upon the parish.
b. To fall or sink gradually, to degenerate. ? Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > worse > [verb (intransitive)] > in quality or character
forworthc1000
wearc1275
spilla1300
defadec1325
pall?c1335
forlinec1374
sinka1500
degender1539
degener1545
degenerate1545
dwindle1598
degenerize1606
disflourish1640
deflourish1656
waste1669
tarnish1678
devolve1830
honeycomb1868
bastardize1878
slush1882
1830 ‘J. Bee’ Ess. on Foote in S. Foote Wks. p. ii A gentleman and scholar devolving into the buffoon..is an unseemly sight.
Derivatives
deˈvolving n.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal right > right of possession or ownership > right to succeed to title, position, or estate > succession > [noun] > descent by
successiona1325
devolution1545
devolvinga1674
a1674 T. Traherne Christian Ethicks (1675) 427 Tidings of his Fathers Death, and the devolving of his Crown and Throne on himself.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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