de|mise

de|mise «dih MYZ», noun, verb, -mised, -mis|ing.

–n.

1. death; decease: »

The Odyssey does not bring us to the demise of Odysseus (William Gladstone). The continued growth of television as a medium for mass advertising was responsible for the demise…of the Saturday Evening Post and the This Week Sunday newspaper supplement (Walter Joyce).

2. Law. a) the transfer of an estate by a will or lease. SYNONYM(S): conveyance. b) a death which causes the transfer of an estate.

3. a transfer of royal power by death or abdication.

–v.t.

1. Law. to transfer (an estate) by a will or lease. SYNONYM(S): convey.

2. to transfer (royal power) by death or abdication.

3. Obsolete. to convey; transmit.

–v.i.

1. Law. to pass by bequest or inheritance.

2. = die. (Cf. ↑die)

╂[< Old French demise, feminine past participle of desmettre to put away < des- away (< Latin dis-) + mettre to put < Latin mittere send]