What Does the Word Demise Mean in Legal Terms

demise

( dɪmaɪz )

singular noun [usually with poss]

The demise of something or someone is their end or death.

[formal]

...the demise of the reform movement.

Smoking, rather than genetics, was the cause of his early demise.

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demise

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demise in British English

( dɪˈmaɪz )

noun

the demise of one's hopes

2. a euphemistic or formal word for death

verb

6. (transitive) property law

to transfer (an estate, etc) for a limited period; lease

7. (transitive)

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

Derived forms

demisable (deˈmisable)

adjective

Word origin

C16: from Old French, feminine of demis dismissed, from demettre to send away, from Latin dīmittere; see dismiss

demise in American English

( diˈmaɪz ; dɪˈmaɪz )

noun

1. Law

a transfer of an estate by lease, esp. for a fixed period

the transfer of sovereignty by death or abdication

verb transitive Word forms: deˈmised or deˈmising

to grant or transfer (an estate) by lease, esp. for a fixed period

to transfer (sovereignty) by death or abdication

Word origin

Fr démise, fem. pp. of OFr démettre, to dismiss, put away < L demittere: see demit

demise in American English

( dɪˈmaiz ) ( verb -mised , -mising )

noun

the demise of the empire

3. Law

a death or decease occasioning the transfer of an estate

4. Government

transfer of sovereignty, as by the death or deposition of the sovereign

transitive verb

5. Law

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

6. Government

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

Derived forms

demisability

noun

Word origin

[1400–50; late ME dimis(s)e, demise ‹ OF demis (ptp. of desmetre) ‹ L dīmissum (ptp. of dīmittere); see demit1 , dismiss ]

Examples of 'demise' in a sentence
demise

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There were no signs of violence and the cause of their demise was under investigation yesterday.

Times, Sunday Times (2017)

Its demise is often predicted, but it soldiers on.

Times, Sunday Times (2016)

He is not predicting the demise of banks, but thinks their job will be different.

Times, Sunday Times (2017)

I can't recall the precise cause of our demise.

Times, Sunday Times (2016)

Its demise is often predicted - most recently it was hit by a ban on displaying tobacco products - but somehow it soldiers on.

Times, Sunday Times (2016)

Why should poetry have resurfaced when its demise has been predicted for so long?

AUTHENTICITY: Brands, Fakes, Spin and the Lust for Real Life (2003)

The claim to imminent demise is silly on elementary logical grounds.

Christianity Today (2000)

Probably all of this contributed to his early demise.

Times, Sunday Times (2013)

Long may we see the demise of that terrible formula.

Times, Sunday Times (2010)

Their activities simply hastened a demise that had become inevitable.

Times, Sunday Times (2011)

It seems her demise was caused by the introduction of foods that are harmful to fish.

Times, Sunday Times (2009)

No wonder that stories of its imminent demise are commonplace.

Times, Sunday Times (2010)

All of us are in some way to blame for his early demise.

The Sun (2009)

Her demise was seen by many as poetic justice.

Times, Sunday Times (2012)

Hopefully that message will widen the cracks within its political establishment and hasten its demise.

Times, Sunday Times (2010)

Call a snap election and we will see the demise of his party and his little people.

The Sun (2013)

But the amount of work and stress he has is likely to hasten his demise.

Times, Sunday Times (2010)

This year he has been predicting the demise of the euro and talking up the price of gold.

Times, Sunday Times (2010)

Tight credit and weak economic conditions will cause the demise of some big names before the two years are up.

Times, Sunday Times (2008)

People have been predicting the demise of these often unnecessarily large and cumbersome machines since their first appearance on city streets.

Times, Sunday Times (2014)

It has been a sad demise.

Times, Sunday Times (2014)

This merely opens up the prospect of a highly precarious government lurching from vote to vote and to an inevitable early demise.

Times, Sunday Times (2015)

We still haven't got over her tragic demise.

The Sun (2016)

Everyone will be worried about Test cricket and forecasting its imminent demise.

Times, Sunday Times (2011)

We also welcome the predicted demise of short-term celebrity fragrances.

Times, Sunday Times (2009)

I dwelt on how she emerged from a coma shortly after her imminent demise had been predicted.

Times, Sunday Times (2007)

After the tragic demise of Daisy the dog, they could do with some new animal friends.

The Sun (2015)

It was the council that caused my demise,' he says.

Times, Sunday Times (2008)

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demise

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