devolvement (devolvment)

[ Eas'ly ambling down through the Devonian dales. Drayton, Polyolbion, i. 284. The term was applied specifically, in geol., by Murchison to a great part of the Paleozoic strata of North and South Devon, and used by him as synonymous with Old Red Sandstone, for which term he substituted it, "because the strata of that age in Devons hire - lithologically very unlike the old red sandstone of Scotland, Here ford, and the South Welsh counties-contain a much more copious and rich fo il fauna, and were shown to occupy the same intermediate position between the Silurian and Carboniferous rocks." Later geologists, however, do not use the terms as identical, the conditions under which the strata were deposited being very different. Devonic (de-von'ik), a. Same as Devonian. Devon kerseys. See kersey. devons hire (dev'on-sher), v. t. Same as den devolution (dev-ō-lū'shon), n. [= F. dévolu- shire . tion = Sp. devolucion = Pg. devolução = It. de- voluzione, devolutio (n-), devolvere , pp. devolutus , roll down: see devolve .] 1. The act of rolling down. [Rare.] Devons hire colic, lace, etc. See the nouns. dev oration (dev-o-ra's hon), n. [ They [bear-wards] have either voluntarilie, or for want of power to master their sauage beasts, beene occasione of the death and deuoration of manie children. Holinshed, Description of England, x. There never was any devolution to rulers by the people of the power to govern them. Brougham . In all these A then i an rules, it is to be observed that, the object of special care is the of while the ancestral sacrifices are constantly mentioned, To whose shrine [Diana's] there went up a more famous and frequent pilgrimage of dev otaries than to any holy Gregory, Works, p. 50. land of their's whatsoever. devotedne of devovere, vow, give up, devote, No devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the Lord, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord. Lev. xxvii. 28. For, since the substance of your perfect self Is else devoted , I am but a shadow. Shak., T. G. of V., iv. 2. It behooves each to see, when he sacrifices prudence, to what god he devotes it. Emerson, E ays, 1st ser., p. 286. Hence-2. To doom; consign to some harm or evil; doom to destruction: used absolutely, curse or execrate. to Let her, like me, of every joy forlorn, Devote the hour when such a wretch was born. Rowe . Aliens were devoted to their rapine and despight. Decay of Christian Piety. Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly These wicked tents devoted . Milton , P. L., v. 890. Here I devote your senate! Croly, Cat i line. 3. To addict or surrender, as to an occupation or a pursuit; give or yield up; direct in action or thought. He hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Shak ., Othello, ii. 3. Wise-seeming censors count that labour vain Which is devoted to the hopes of love. Ford, Honour Triumphant. The hours between breakfast and dinner the ladies devoted to dre and study. Goldsmith, Vicar, ii. They devoted themselves to leisure with as much a iduity as we employ to render it impo ible. Lowell, New Princeton Rev., I. 158. =Syn. Devote , Dedicate, Consecrate, Hallow , destine, set apart. In dedicate and the cognate words devote , devout , etc., the root idea is always that of a complete mental consecration; thus, devotion (def. 2) is the consecration of the entire mind to God and his worship; and a devout (def. 1) spirit is one entirely absorbed in the worship or service of God. To devote indicates the inward act, state, or feeling; to dedicate is to set apart by a promise, and indicates primarily an external act; to consecrate is to make sacred, and refers to an act affecting the use or relations of the thing consecrated; to hallow is to make holy, and relates to the character of the person or thing hallowed. Thus, we devote ourselves by an act of the mind; we dedi cate our lives or property by a more formal act; we conse crate to sacred uses a building not before sacred; and we hallow the name of God, recognizing in it its inherent holy character. Mysterious and awful powers had laid their unimaginable hands on that fair head and devoted it to a nobler service. Lowell , Among my Books, 2d ser., p. 272. Let no soldier fly: He that is truly dedicate to war Hath no self-love. Shak ., 2 Hen. VI., v. 2. Now go with me, and with this holy man, Into the chantry by; there, before him, And underneath that consecrated roof, Plight me the full a urance of your faith. Shak., T. N., iv. 3. And, from work Now resting, ble 'd and hallow'd the seventh day. Milton , P. L., vii. 592. 3. Addict, Devote , etc. See addict.