From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Demise \De*mise"\, n. [F. d['e]mettre, p. p. d['e]mis,
d['e]mise, to put away, lay down; pref. d['e]- (L. de or
dis-) + mettre to put, place, lay, fr. L. mittere to send.
See Mission, and cf. Dismiss, Demit.]
1. Transmission by formal act or conveyance to an heir or
successor; transference; especially, the transfer or
transmission of the crown or royal authority to a
successor.
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2. The decease of a royal or princely person; hence, also,
the death of any illustrious person.
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After the demise of the Queen [of George II.], in
1737, they [drawing- rooms] were held but twice a
week. --P.
Cunningham.
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3. (Law) The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in
fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter.
--Bouvier.
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Note: The demise of the crown is a transfer of the crown,
royal authority, or kingdom, to a successor. Thus, when
Edward IV. was driven from his throne for a few months
by the house of Lancaster, this temporary transfer of
his dignity was called a demise. Thus the natural death
of a king or queen came to be denominated a demise, as
by that event the crown is transferred to a successor.
--Blackstone.
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Demise and redemise, a conveyance where there are mutual
leases made from one to another of the same land, or
something out of it.
Syn: Death; decease; departure. See Death.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Demise \De*mise"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Demised; p. pr. & vb.
n. Demising.]
1. To transfer or transmit by succession or inheritance; to
grant or bestow by will; to bequeath. "Power to demise my
lands." --Swift.
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What honor
Canst thou demise to any child of mine? --Shak.
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2. To convey; to give. [R.]
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His soul is at his conception demised to him.
--Hammond.
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3. (Law) To convey, as an estate, by lease; to lease.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
demise
n 1: the time when something ends; "it was the death of all his
plans"; "a dying of old hopes" [syn: death, dying,
demise] [ant: birth]
v 1: transfer by a lease or by a will