DEVISING • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Devising

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/dɪvˈaɪzɪŋ/ Listen

verb

Devise v. t. (past & past part. devised; pres. part. devising)

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." "Devising schemes to realize his ambitious views."

To plan or scheme for; to purpose to obtain. "For wisdom is most riches; fools therefore They are which fortunes do by vows devise."

To say; to relate; to describe. (Obs.)

To imagine; to guess. (Obs.)

(Law) To give by will; used of real estate; formerly, also, of chattels.

Synonyms: To bequeath; invent; discover; contrive; excogitate; imagine; plan; scheme. See Bequeath.

Devise v. i. To form a scheme; to lay a plan; to contrive; to consider. "I thought, devised, and Pallas heard my prayer." Note: Devise was formerly followed by of; as, let us devise of ease.

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Etymology of 'Devising'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Devising" Quotes from Famous Books

... political and social criminality, against which police repression is particularly directed, will be smaller than that done by the abuse inseparably connected with police power. In the case of atavistic criminality, prevention does not mean handcuffing of the man who is about to commit a crime, but devising such economic and educational measures in the family and administration as will eliminate the causes of crime or attenuate them, precisely because punishment is less ...

— The Positive School of Criminology - Three Lectures Given at the University of Naples, Italy on April 22, 23 and 24, 1901 • Enrico Ferri

... be shown all Mrs. Douglass's household arrangements and clever contrivances, of her own or her husband's devising, for lessening or facilitating labour. The lady was proud, and had some reason to be, of the very superb order and neatness of each part and detail. No corner or closet that might not be laid open fearlessly to a visitor's inspection. Miss Catharine was then directed to open her piano, ...

— Queechy, Volume I • Elizabeth Wetherell

... for the day, and she went up to her own room. She had no light, and, without undressing, she threw herself on the bed. But no rest came to her. Hour after hour she tossed about, devising reason on reason for disbelieving the woman's ...

— The Shadow of a Crime - A Cumbrian Romance • Hall Caine

... heart. Robespierre described the incident to the Convention, and amid prodigious enthusiasm demanded that the body of the young martyr of liberty should be transported to the Pantheon with special pomp, and that David, the artist of the Revolution, should be charged with the duty of devising and embellishing the festival. As it happened, the arrangements were made for the ceremony to take place on the Tenth of Thermidor—a day on which Robespierre and all Paris were concerned about a celebration of bloodier import. Thermidor, however, was still ...

— Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 1 of 3) - Essay 1: Robespierre • John Morley

... Spanish dollar, from Louisiana and Cuba, had begun to supersede it as a measure of value. In New England the shilling had sunk from nearly one fourth to one sixth of a dollar; in New York to one eighth; in North Carolina to one tenth. It was partly for this reason that in devising a national coinage the more uniform dollar was adopted as the unit. At the same time the decimal system of division was adopted instead of the cumbrous English system, and the result was our present admirably simple currency, which we owe to Gouverneur Morris, aided as to some points by Thomas ...

— The Critical Period of American History • John Fiske

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