DEVOLVE

devolve, deteriorate, drop, degenerate

(verb) grow worse; “Her condition deteriorated”; “Conditions in the slums degenerated”; “The discussion devolved into a shouting match”

devolve

(verb) pass on or delegate to another; “The representative devolved his duties to his aides while he was in the hospital”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

devolve (third-person singular simple present devolves, present participle devolving, simple past and past participle devolved)

(obsolete, transitive) To roll (something) down; to unroll. [15th-19th c.]

(intransitive) 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. [from 16th c.]

(transitive) To delegate (a responsibility, duty, etc.) on or upon someone. [from 17th c.]

(intransitive) To fall as a duty or responsibility on or upon someone. [from 18th c.]

(intransitive) To degenerate; to break down. [from 18th c.]

Usage notes

• The verb is sometimes used in the context of biology (in sense 5, "to degenerate; to break down"), but generally not by scientists as it is highly subjective.

Anagrams

• evolved

Source: Wiktionary

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De*volve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devolved; p. pr. & vb. n. Devolving.] Etym: [L. devolvere, devolutum, to roll down; de + volvere to roll down; de + volvere to roll. See Voluble.]

1. To roll onward or downward; to pass on. Every headlong stream Devolves its winding waters to the main. Akenside. Devolved his rounded periods. Tennyson.

2. To transfer from one person to another; to deliver over; to hand down; -- generally with upon, sometimes with to or into. They devolved a considerable share of their power upon their favorite. Burke. They devolved their whole authority into the hands of the council of sixty. Addison.

De*volve", v. i.

Definition: To pass by transmission or succession; to be handed over or down; -- generally with on or upon, sometimes with to or into; as, after the general fell, the command devolved upon (or on) the next officer in rank. His estate . . . devolved to Lord Somerville. Johnson.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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