demise

American  

[dih-mahyz] / dɪˈmaɪz /

noun

1. death or decease.

2. termination of existence or operation.

   the demise of the empire.

3. Law.

   1. a death or decease occasioning the transfer of an estate.

   2. a conveyance or transfer of an estate.

4. Government. transfer of sovereignty, as by the death or deposition of the sovereign.

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verb (used with object)

demised, demising

1. Law. to transfer (an estate or the like) for a limited time; lease.

2. Government. to transfer (sovereignty), as by the death or abdication of the sovereign.

verb (used without object)

demised, demising

1. Law. to pass by bequest, inheritance, or succession.

demise British  

/ dɪˈmaɪz /

noun

1. failure or termination

   the demise of one's hopes

2. a euphemistic or formal word for death

3. property law

   1. a transfer of an estate by lease

   2. the passing or transfer of an estate on the death of the owner

4. the immediate transfer of sovereignty to a successor upon the death, abdication, etc, of a ruler (esp in the phrase demise of the crown )

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verb

1. to transfer or be transferred by inheritance, will, or succession

2. (tr) property law to transfer (an estate, etc) for a limited period; lease

3. (tr) to transfer (sovereignty, a title, etc) by or as if by the death, deposition, etc, of a ruler

Other Word Forms

• demisability noun
• demisable adjective
• nondemise noun
• undemised adjective

Etymology

Origin of demise

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English demise, dimis(s)e, from Old French demis, past participle of desmetre, from Latin dīmittere “to send away, dismiss”; dismiss

Example Sentences

Sometimes you can entice incumbents to pay for their own demise.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sprinkles’ demise comes at a tough time for the food and beverage industry.

From Los Angeles Times

Was their feeble demise a window to their collective soul, a reflection of their spirit under the new, and surely doomed, manager?

From BBC

Startups with thin margins and little market edge could meet their demise, investors said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Label it whatever you wish, but the science is sound on this subject — and it is obvious that, by denying science, we’ve taken a pronounced step backward and are hastening our own demise.

From Salon

Related Words

• collapse
• departure
• dissolution
• downfall
• extinction
• failure
• passing
• termination