devolve
pronunciation
How to pronounce devolve in British English:
UK [dɪˈvɒlv]
How to pronounce devolve in American English:
US [dɪˈvɑːlv]
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- Verb:
- pass on or delegate to another
- be inherited by
- grow worse
Word Origin
- devolve (v.)
- early 15c., "to roll down," from Latin devolvere "to roll down," from de- (see de-) + volvere "to roll" (see volvox). Figurative sense of "to cause to pass down" is from 1520s. Related: Devolved; devolving. Also in same sense was devolute (1530s), from Latin devolutus, past participle of devolvere.
Example
- 1. Most people would rather devolve this sort of responsibility to the authorities .
- 2. The central government has decided to devolve authority on the regions .
- 3. When the president is ill , his duties devolve upon the vice-president .
- 4. When the president is ill , his duties devolve on the vice-president .
- 5. Land speculators soon demanded that the u.s. congress devolve to the states the control of all real property owned by tribes and their members .