Webster
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Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Devise

De·vise′ (dē·vīz′), 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.

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.

☞ Devise was formerly followed by of; as, let us devise of ease. Spenser.

De·vise′ (dē·vīz′), 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.

De·vise′ (dē·vīs′), n. Device. See Device. [Obs.]

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Noah Porter, editor (Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913). Public domain. Text as transcribed by MICRA, Inc., from Project Gutenberg. Changed for Deep Dive Bible: Greek, which our source spelled in Latin letters, set in Greek letters; entries of one spelling merged into one article; Greek words our source left out (shown as “?”), read from the 1898 printing, from the same plates (the Library of Congress’s copy), where the place could be found with certainty. Of the others, 1,362 (a word or a single letter each) were inferred by AI from the context by the dictionary’s own rules and are marked with a wavy underline (tap or point at one to see the note); the rest, which could not be inferred with confidence, are left as “?”.