De*mise" (?), n. [F.
démettre, p. p. démis,
démise, to put away, lay down; pref. dé-
(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.
2. The decease of a royal or princely person;
hence, also, the death of any illustrious person.
After the demise of the Queen [of George II.],
in 1737, they [drawing- rooms] were held but twice a
week.
P. Cunningham.
3. (Law) The conveyance or transfer of
an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the
latter. Bouvier.
&fist; 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.
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.
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.
What honor
Canst thou demise to any child of mine?
Shak.
2. To convey; to give. [R.]
His soul is at his conception demised to
him.
Hammond.
3. (Law) To convey, as an estate, by
lease; to lease.
