Devergence, Devergency De·ver"gence, De·ver"gen·cy noun See Divergence . [ Obsolete]

Devest De·vest" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Devested ; present participle & verbal noun Devesting .] [ Latin devestire to undress; de + vestire to dress: confer Old French devestir , French dévêtir . Confer Divest .] 1. To divest; to undress. Shak.

2. To take away, as an authority, title, etc., to deprive; to alienate, as an estate.

» This word is now generally written divest , except in the legal sense.

Devest De·vest" intransitive verb (Law) To be taken away, lost, or alienated, as a title or an estate.

Devex De·vex" adjective [ Latin devexus , from devehere to carry down.] Bending down; sloping. [ Obsolete]

Devex De·vex" noun Devexity. [ Obsolete] May (Lucan).

Devexity De·vex"i·ty noun [ Latin devexitas , from devexus . See Devex , adjective ] A bending downward; a sloping; incurvation downward; declivity. [ R.] Davies (Wit's Pilgr.)

Devi De"vi noun ; fem . of Deva . A goddess.

Deviant De"vi·ant adjective Deviating. [ Obsolete]

Deviate De"vi·ate intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Deviated ; present participle & verbal noun Deviating .] [ Latin deviare to deviate; de + viare to go, travel, via way. See Viaduct .] To go out of the way; to turn aside from a course or a method; to stray or go astray; to err; to digress; to diverge; to vary.

Thus Pegasus, a nearer way to take,
May boldly deviate from the common track.

Pope.

Syn. -- To swerve; stray; wander; digress; depart; deflect; err.

Deviate De"vi·ate transitive verb To cause to deviate. [ R.]

To deviate a needle.

J. D. Forbes.

Deviation De`vi·a"tion noun [ Late Latin deviatio : confer French déviation .] 1. The act of deviating; a wandering from the way; variation from the common way, from an established rule, etc.; departure, as from the right course or the path of duty.

2. The state or result of having deviated; a transgression; an act of sin; an error; an offense.

2. (Com.) The voluntary and unnecessary departure of a ship from, or delay in, the regular and usual course of the specific voyage insured, thus releasing the underwriters from their responsibility.

Deviation of a falling body (Physics) , that deviation from a strictly vertical line of descent which occurs in a body falling freely, in consequence of the rotation of the earth. -- Deviation of the compass , the angle which the needle of a ship's compass makes with the magnetic meridian by reason of the magnetism of the iron parts of the ship. -- Deviation of the line of the vertical , the difference between the actual direction of a plumb line and the direction it would have if the earth were a perfect ellipsoid and homogeneous, -- caused by the attraction of a mountain, or irregularities in the earth's density.

Deviator De"vi·a`tor noun [ Latin , a forsaker.] One who, or that which, deviates.

Deviatory De"vi·a·to·ry adjective Tending to deviate; devious; as, deviatory motion. [ R.] Tully.

Device De·vice" noun [ Middle English devis , devise , will, intention, opinion, invention, from French devis architect's plan and estimates (in Old French , division, plan, wish), devise device (in sense 3), in Old French also, division, wish, last will, from deviser . See Devise , transitive verb , and confer Devise , noun ] 1. That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice.

His device in against Babylon, to destroy it.

Jer. li. 11.

Their recent device of demanding benevolences.

Hallam.

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty.

Job v. 12.

2. Power of devising; invention; contrivance.

I must have instruments of my own device .

Landor.

3. (a) An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic bearings to denote the historical situation, the ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See Cognizance . (b) Improperly, an heraldic bearing.

Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by devices on their shields.

Addison.

A banner with this strange device -
Excelsior.

Longfellow.

4. Anything fancifully conceived. Shak.

5. A spectacle or show. [ Obsolete] Beau. & Fl.

6. Opinion; decision. [ Obsolete] Rom. of R.

Syn. -- Contrivance; invention; design; scheme; project; stratagem; shift. -- Device , Contrivance . Device implies more of inventive power, and contrivance more of skill and dexterity in execution. A device usually has reference to something worked out for exhibition or show; a contrivance usually respects the arrangement or disposition of things with reference to securing some end. Devices were worn by knights-errant on their shields; contrivances are generally used to promote the practical convenience of life. The word device is often used in a bad sense; as, a crafty device ; contrivance is almost always used in a good sense; as, a useful contrivance .

Deviceful De·vice"ful adjective Full of devices; inventive. [ R.]

A carpet, rich, and of deviceful thread.

Chapman.

Devicefully De·vice"ful·ly adverb In a deviceful manner. [ R.]

Devil Dev"il noun [ Anglo-Saxon deófol , deóful ; akin to German ...eufel , Goth. diabaúlus ; all from Latin diabolus the devil, Greek ... the devil, the slanderer, from ... to slander, calumniate, orig., to throw across; ... across + ... to throw, let fall, fall; confer Sanskrit gal to fall. Confer Diabolic .] 1. The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind.

[ Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil .

Luke iv. 2.

That old serpent, called the Devil , and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.

Rev. xii. 9.

2. An evil spirit; a demon.

A dumb man possessed with a devil .

Matt. ix. 32.

3. A very wicked person; hence, any great evil. "That devil Glendower." "The devil drunkenness." Shak.

Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil ?

John vi. 70.

4. An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation. [ Low]

The devil a puritan that he is, . . . but a timepleaser.

Shak.

The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare,
But wonder how the devil they got there.

Pope.

5. (Cookery) A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper.

Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron.

Sir W. Scott.

6. (Manuf.) A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc.

Blue devils . See under Blue . -- Cartesian devil . See under Cartesian . -- Devil bird (Zoology) , one of two or more South African drongo shrikes ( Edolius retifer , and E. remifer ), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery. -- Devil may care , reckless, defiant of authority; -- used adjectively. Longfellow. -- Devil's apron (Botany) , the large kelp ( Laminaria saccharina , and Latin longicruris ) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron. -- Devil's coachhorse . (Zoology) (a) The black rove beetle ( Ocypus olens ). [ Eng.] (b) A large, predacious, hemipterous insect ( Prionotus cristatus ); the wheel bug. [ U.S.] -- Devil's darning-needle . (Zoology) See under Darn , transitive verb -- Devil's fingers , Devil's hand (Zoology) , the common British starfish ( Asterias rubens ); -- also applied to a sponge with stout branches. [ Prov. Eng., Irish & Scot.] -- Devil's riding-horse (Zoology) , the American mantis ( Mantis Carolina ). -- The Devil's tattoo , a drumming with the fingers or feet. "Jack played the Devil's tattoo on the door with his boot heels." F. Hardman (Blackw. Mag.). -- Devil worship , worship of the power of evil; -- still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power. -- Printer's devil , the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. "Without fearing the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer." Macaulay. -- Tasmanian devil (Zoology) , a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania ( Dasyurus, or Diabolus, ursinus ). -- To play devil with , to molest extremely; to ruin. [ Low]

Devil Dev"il transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Deviled or Devilled ; present participle & verbal noun Deviling or Devilling .] 1. To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.

2. To grill with Cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper.

A deviled leg of turkey.

W. Irving.

Devil-diver, Devil bird Dev"il-div`er, Dev"il bird` noun . (Zoology) A small water bird. See Dabchick .

Devil's darning-needle Dev"il's darn"ing-nee`dle (Zoology) A dragon fly. See Darning needle , under Darn , transitive verb

Deviless Dev"il·ess noun A she- devil. [ R.] Sterne.

Devilet Dev"il·et noun A little devil. [ R.] Barham.

Devilfish Dev"il·fish` noun (Zoology) (a) A huge ray ( Manta birostris or Cephaloptera vampyrus ) of the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic coasts. Several other related species take the same name. See Cephaloptera . (b) A large cephalopod, especially the very large species of Octopus and Architeuthis . See Octopus . (c) The gray whale of the Pacific coast. See Gray whale . (d) The goosefish or angler ( Lophius ), and other allied fishes. See Angler .

Deviling Dev"il·ing noun A young devil. [ Obsolete] Beau. & Fl.

Devilish Dev"il·ish adjective 1. Resembling, characteristic of, or pertaining to, the devil; diabolical; wicked in the extreme. " Devilish wickedness." Sir P. Sidney.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish .

James iii. 15.

2. Extreme; excessive. [ Colloq.] Dryden.

Syn. -- Diabolical; infernal; hellish; satanic; wicked; malicious; detestable; destructive.

-- Dev"il*ish*ly , adverb -- Dev"il*ish*ness , noun

Devilism Dev"il·ism noun The state of the devil or of devils; doctrine of the devil or of devils. Bp. Hall.

Devilize Dev"il·ize transitive verb To make a devil of. [ R.]

He that should deify a saint, should wrong him as much as he that should devilize him.

Bp. Hall.

Devilkin Dev"il·kin noun A little devil; a devilet.

Devilment Dev"il·ment noun Deviltry. Bp. Warburton.

Devilry Dev"il·ry noun ; plural Devilries 1. Conduct suitable to the devil; extreme wickedness; deviltry.

Stark lies and devilry .

Sir T. More.

2. The whole body of evil spirits. Tylor.

Devilship Dev"il·ship noun The character or person of a devil or the devil. Cowley.

Deviltry Dev"il·try noun ; plural Deviltries Diabolical conduct; malignant mischief; devilry. C. Reade.

Devilwood Dev"il·wood` noun (Botany) A kind of tree ( Osmanthus Americanus ), allied to the European olive.

Devious De"vi·ous adjective [ Latin devius ; de + via way. See Viaduct .] 1. Out of a straight line; winding; varying from directness; as, a devious path or way.

2. Going out of the right or common course; going astray; erring; wandering; as, a devious step.

Syn. -- Wandering; roving; rambling; vagrant.

-- De"vi*ous*ly , adverb -- De"vi*ous*ness , noun

Devirginate De·vir"gin·ate adjective [ Latin devirginatus , past participle of devirginare .] Deprived of virginity. [ R.]

Devirginate De·vir"gin·ate transitive verb To deprive of virginity; to deflour. [ R.] Sandys.

Devirgination De·vir`gi·na"tion noun [ Latin devirginatio .] A deflouring. [ R.] Feltham.

Devisable De·vis"a·ble adjective [ From Devise .] 1. Capable of being devised, invented, or contrived.

2. Capable of being bequeathed, or given by will.

Devisal De·vis"al noun A devising. Whitney.

Devise De·vise" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Devised ; present participle & verbal noun Devising .] [ Old French deviser to distribute, regulate, direct, relate, F., to chat, from Latin divisus divided, distributed, past participle of dividere . See Divide , and confer 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. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

4. To imagine; to guess. [ Obsolete] 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 .

Devise De·vise" intransitive verb 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.

Devise De·vise" noun [ Old French 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.

Devise De·vise" noun Device. See Device . [ Obsolete]

Devisee Dev`i·see" noun (Law) One to whom a devise is made, or real estate given by will.

Deviser De·vis"er noun One who devises.

Devisor De·vis"or noun (Law) One who devises, or gives real estate by will; a testator; -- correlative to devisee .

Devitable Dev"i·ta·ble adjective [ Latin devitare to avoid; de + vitare to shun, avoid.] Avoidable. [ Obsolete]

Devitalize De·vi"tal·ize transitive verb To deprive of life or vitality. -- De*vi`tal*i*za"tion noun

Devitation Dev`i·ta"tion noun [ Latin devitatio .] An avoiding or escaping; also, a warning. [ Obsolete] Bailey.

Devitrification De·vit`ri·fi·ca"tion noun The act or process of devitrifying, or the state of being devitrified. Specifically, the conversion of molten glassy matter into a stony mass by slow cooling, the result being the formation of crystallites, microbites, etc., in the glassy base, which are then called devitrification products .

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