Other forms: devised, devising, devises
To devise is to invent a clever plan or method. Devise a scheme, devise a way, devised by him.
It implies working something out rather than stumbling on it, and it suits plans, tests and methods. In law, to devise is to leave real property by will, which pairs with bequeath for personal property. Note the spelling trap with device, which is the noun and takes a c; and that the two are the same word split by the old rule that nouns take c and verbs s.
1verbdeviseTo invent a clever plan or method.
“The prisoners devised a clever plan to escape through a tunnel.”
2verbleaveTo leave real property by will.
“In his will, he devised the farm and all its land to his eldest son.”
devise is an inventing.
Also accepted in games: design
Old French deviser comes from Latin dividere, to divide. To devise was to divide a thing up mentally, and device is the same word as a noun.
Proto-Indo-European
*dwóh₁
Latin
dīvisō
Vulgar Latin
devisō
Old French
deviser
Middle English
devisen
English, today
devise
From Middle English devisen, devysen, from Old French deviser, from Vulgar Latin devisō, from Latin dīvisō, frequentative of dīvidō.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Sharper Verbs