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Devolve
Definitions
- 1 To be inherited by someone else; to pass down upon the next person in a succession, especially through failure or loss of an earlier holder. intransitive
"an accident […] rendered him permanently lame, and therefore unfitted him, in the opinion of his parents, to inherit his father's many titles, which, it was then arranged, should devolve upon his younger brother."
- 2 grow progressively worse wordnet
- 3 To delegate (a responsibility, duty, etc.) on or upon someone. transitive
"Near-synonyms: pass down, pass on, hand down"
- 4 be inherited by wordnet
- 5 To delegate (a responsibility, duty, etc.) on or upon someone.; To transfer authority and responsibility for (something) to (another entity). especially, transitive, usually
"Despite being a unitary state, the Government of the United Kingdom devolved many matters to the Governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland."
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- 6 pass on or delegate to another wordnet
- 7 To fall as a duty or responsibility on or upon someone. intransitive
"For the nonce he was rather nonplussed but inasmuch as the duty plainly devolved upon him to take some measures on the subject he pondered suitable ways and means during which Stephen repeatedly yawned."
- 8 To fall as a duty or responsibility on or upon someone.; To shift or to be transferred from a central government to a local one, a federal one to a federated one, etc. especially, intransitive
"Many legislative powers devolved to the new Scottish parliament in 1999."
- 9 To degenerate; to break down. intransitive
"A discussion about politics may devolve into a shouting match."
- 10 To roll (something) down; to unroll. obsolete, transitive
"Near-synonyms: unwind, unfurl"
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dēvolvō (“roll or tumble off or down”), from dē + volvō (“roll”).
See also for "devolve"
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Unscramble this word: devolve