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

And to go hard in criticising his ultimate demise would be ignoring the wider picture of the day.

From BBC

He predicts that when Mr. Xi dies, we can expect “another swing of the political pendulum toward a more moderate polity, just as that occurring following Mao’s demise.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Natural gas from shale hastened the demise of coal, and China’s solar manufacturing build-out slashed the cost of panels.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since announcing the demise of the location, people from all states and even other countries have been broadcasting their heartbreak online on forums like Reddit.

From Los Angeles Times

"It is understood that he did not travel to India even at the time of his father's demise," the official said.

From BBC

Related Words

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