Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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verb
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: pass down
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To delegate (a responsibility, duty, etc.) on or upon someone.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Synonyms: pass down, pass on, hand down
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To delegate (a responsibility, duty, etc.) on or upon someone.
To transfer authority and responsibility for (something) to (another entity).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: especially, transitive, usually
Qualifier: a federal one to a federated one
Synonyms: pass down, pass on, hand down
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To fall as a duty or responsibility on or upon someone.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: especially, intransitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To degenerate; to break down.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: deteriorate, atrophy, break down, crack, decline, degenerate, devolve, confound, fade, fall off, go bad, go downhill, go left, go off, go pear-shaped, go sideways, go south, go to hell, go to pot, go to seed, go to the dogs, go wrong, lapse, molder, pejorate, retrograde, suffer, spend, sweal, shrivel, tabefy, wither, wither away, wane, wanse, worsen, evolve, improve
verb
To roll (something) down; to unroll.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
Synonyms: roll down, unwind, unfurl
Antonyms: none provided
verb
grow worse
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: deteriorate, drop, degenerate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: worsen, decline
Narrower terms: tire, pall, weary, fatigue, jade, languish, fade, waste, rot
verb
be inherited by
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: fall, return, pass
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change hands, change owners
Narrower terms: fall, light
verb
pass on or delegate to another
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: delegate, designate, depute, assign
History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē- Proto-Indo-European *welH-der. Proto-Italic *wolwō Latin volvō Latin dēvolvōbor. English devolve Borrowed from Latin dēvolvō (“roll or tumble off or down”), from dē- + volvō (“roll”).
Across languages
17 source translations are retained for this English entry.
