Search Result for "devolve": 
Wordnet 3.0

VERB (3)

1. pass on or delegate to another;
- Example: "The representative devolved his duties to his aides while he was in the hospital"

2. be inherited by;
- Example: "The estate fell to my sister"
- Example: "The land returned to the family"
- Example: "The estate devolved to an heir that everybody had assumed to be dead"
[syn: fall, return, pass, devolve]

3. grow worse;
- Example: "Her condition deteriorated"
- Example: "Conditions in the slums degenerated"
- Example: "The discussion devolved into a shouting match"
[syn: devolve, deteriorate, drop, degenerate]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Devolve \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. [1913 Webster] His estate . . . devolved to Lord Somerville. --Johnson. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Devolve \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. [1913 Webster] Every headlong stream Devolves its winding waters to the main. --Akenside. [1913 Webster] Devolved his rounded periods. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster] 2. To transfer from one person to another; to deliver over; to hand down; -- generally with upon, sometimes with to or into. [1913 Webster] They devolved a considerable share of their power upon their favorite. --Burke. [1913 Webster] They devolved their whole authority into the hands of the council of sixty. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

devolve v 1: pass on or delegate to another; "The representative devolved his duties to his aides while he was in the hospital" 2: 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" [syn: fall, return, pass, devolve] 3: grow worse; "Her condition deteriorated"; "Conditions in the slums degenerated"; "The discussion devolved into a shouting match" [syn: devolve, deteriorate, drop, degenerate] [ant: convalesce, recover, recuperate]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

29 Moby Thesaurus words for "devolve": 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