Devise
verb
To come up with an idea, plan, or explanation.
She devised a plan to defeat the enemy.
Often appears as...
- devise a plan
- devise a strategy
verb
In law, to leave something to someone in a will.
He devised his entire estate to his daughter.
Often appears as...
- devise an estate
- devise property
Usage tips
Formal
verb
To come up with an idea, plan, or explanation.
She devised a plan to defeat the enemy.
Often appears as...
- devise a plan
- devise a strategy
verb
In law, to leave something to someone in a will.
He devised his entire estate to his daughter.
Often appears as...
- devise an estate
- devise property
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Problem Solving
Use 'devise' when you're specifically describing a clever or inventive solution.
The team devised a way to improve efficiency.
Pro Tip 2/3Creative Thinking
'Devise' implies innovation and the creation of something new that did not exist before.
She devised a unique recipe using only local ingredients.
Pro Tip 3/3Pre-Planning
'Devise' usually indicates a process that requires careful thought or planning beforehand.
We need to devise a schedule that works for everyone.
Pro Tip 1/3Problem Solving
Use 'devise' when you're specifically describing a clever or inventive solution.
The team devised a way to improve efficiency.
Pro Tip 2/3Creative Thinking
'Devise' implies innovation and the creation of something new that did not exist before.
She devised a unique recipe using only local ingredients.
Pro Tip 3/3Pre-Planning
'Devise' usually indicates a process that requires careful thought or planning beforehand.
We need to devise a schedule that works for everyone.
Pro Tip 1/3Problem Solving
Use 'devise' when you're specifically describing a clever or inventive solution.
The team devised a way to improve efficiency.
Pro Tip 2/3Creative Thinking
'Devise' implies innovation and the creation of something new that did not exist before.
She devised a unique recipe using only local ingredients.
Pro Tip 3/3Pre-Planning
'Devise' usually indicates a process that requires careful thought or planning beforehand.
We need to devise a schedule that works for everyone.
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Video examples
String theory - Brian...
the string theory often answer not yet but we believe the answer for why those numbers have devised they do may rely on the form of the extra dimensions and the wonderful thing is if those numbers had any other values than the known ones the universe as we know it wouldn't exist
Video examples
Making change with...
didn't support us because they felt the winner getting enough reward and we had to figure out a business model we have to figure out the most efficient way to transport waste we have to devise a system for teaching people how to recycle on a large scale and we have to
Video examples
Billy Graham:...
and puzzled over it. You've seen people take beneficial technological advances, such as the Internet we've heard about tonight, and twist them into something corrupting. You've seen brilliant people devise computer viruses that bring down whole systems.
Video examples
How to create cleaner...
we've devised ways to banish it underground. We can do this by injecting it deep into the Earth, or by placing it deep under the ocean's surface. Stripping away coal's negative elements can happen in three ways. First, and most commonly, as coal burns,
Video examples
Can you solve...
by devising a complex riddle involving this list of clues. Can you resist tackling a brain teaser written by one of the smartest people in history? Let's give it a shot. The world's rarest fish has been stolen from the city aquarium.
Video examples
Incredible Orangutan...
important the work of the center really he is so clever that he can communicate with rob using a new language system devised specially for orangutans let's start with an example from the vocabulary
Video examples
How does laser eye...
was fed up with glasses. He wanted a solution for blurry vision that fixed the eye itself, without relying on external aids. But the surgery he eventually devised was not for the faint of heart.
Video examples
Maybe the best robot...
would illusions serve the same purpose? To create the robotic illusion, we've devised a set of ethical rules, a code that all robots would live by. A robot may not harm humanity,
Video examples
The Best Dogs of BBC...
and his colleagues devised a groundbreaking study of canine intelligence the toys all have names that chaser has learned throughout her life and John picks eight at random
Video examples
The Sacrifice of Cassini...
Roche was able to devise an equation that applies to all worlds. It tells you how closely a body can come to a planet before it's pulled apart by the planet's
Video examples
String theory - Brian...
the string theory often answer not yet but we believe the answer for why those numbers have devised they do may rely on the form of the extra dimensions and the wonderful thing is if those numbers had any other values than the known ones the universe as we know it wouldn't exist
Video examples
Making change with...
didn't support us because they felt the winner getting enough reward and we had to figure out a business model we have to figure out the most efficient way to transport waste we have to devise a system for teaching people how to recycle on a large scale and we have to
Video examples
Billy Graham:...
and puzzled over it. You've seen people take beneficial technological advances, such as the Internet we've heard about tonight, and twist them into something corrupting. You've seen brilliant people devise computer viruses that bring down whole systems.
Video examples
How to create cleaner...
we've devised ways to banish it underground. We can do this by injecting it deep into the Earth, or by placing it deep under the ocean's surface. Stripping away coal's negative elements can happen in three ways. First, and most commonly, as coal burns,
Video examples
Can you solve...
by devising a complex riddle involving this list of clues. Can you resist tackling a brain teaser written by one of the smartest people in history? Let's give it a shot. The world's rarest fish has been stolen from the city aquarium.
Video examples
Incredible Orangutan...
important the work of the center really he is so clever that he can communicate with rob using a new language system devised specially for orangutans let's start with an example from the vocabulary
Video examples
How does laser eye...
was fed up with glasses. He wanted a solution for blurry vision that fixed the eye itself, without relying on external aids. But the surgery he eventually devised was not for the faint of heart.
Video examples
Maybe the best robot...
would illusions serve the same purpose? To create the robotic illusion, we've devised a set of ethical rules, a code that all robots would live by. A robot may not harm humanity,
Video examples
The Best Dogs of BBC...
and his colleagues devised a groundbreaking study of canine intelligence the toys all have names that chaser has learned throughout her life and John picks eight at random
Video examples
The Sacrifice of Cassini...
Roche was able to devise an equation that applies to all worlds. It tells you how closely a body can come to a planet before it's pulled apart by the planet's
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Xavier Becerra
American Politician
I hate to say it but I think it has become very obvious that our system for devising trade agreements, so very important to this country's functioning around the world, has not only broken, but it has broken completely.
Quote examples
Terry Pratchett
English Author
I think perhaps the most important problem is that we are trying to understand the fundamental workings of the universe via a language devised for telling one another when the best fruit is.
Quote examples
Walt Disney
American Businessman
Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communication yet devised for quick mass appreciation.
Quote examples
Rick Perlstein
American Historian
Sometimes I like to think that the responsibility of every new generation of Democrats is to devise a program that mints new Democrats for another seventy-five years or so.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
A principle is the expression of perfection, and as imperfect beings like us cannot practise perfection, we devise every moment limits of its compromise in practice.
Quote examples
George C. Williams
American Scientist
The only realistic view is that a human life arises gradually, which is not much help in making personal decisions or devising public policy.
Quote examples
Barbara Kingsolver
American Novelist
Terms like that, 'Humane Society,' are devised with people like me in mind, who don't care to dwell on what happens to the innocent.
Quote examples
John Henrik Clarke
American Author
Nothing the European mind ever devised was meant to do anything but to facilitate the European's control over the world.
Quote examples
Ronald Reagan
American President
Democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man.
Quote examples
Jacob Weisberg
American Journalist
Conservative journalists don't just have the inside track on Republican strategy - they help devise it.
Quote examples
Xavier Becerra
American Politician
I hate to say it but I think it has become very obvious that our system for devising trade agreements, so very important to this country's functioning around the world, has not only broken, but it has broken completely.
Quote examples
Terry Pratchett
English Author
I think perhaps the most important problem is that we are trying to understand the fundamental workings of the universe via a language devised for telling one another when the best fruit is.
Quote examples
Walt Disney
American Businessman
Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communication yet devised for quick mass appreciation.
Quote examples
Rick Perlstein
American Historian
Sometimes I like to think that the responsibility of every new generation of Democrats is to devise a program that mints new Democrats for another seventy-five years or so.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
A principle is the expression of perfection, and as imperfect beings like us cannot practise perfection, we devise every moment limits of its compromise in practice.
Quote examples
George C. Williams
American Scientist
The only realistic view is that a human life arises gradually, which is not much help in making personal decisions or devising public policy.
Quote examples
Barbara Kingsolver
American Novelist
Terms like that, 'Humane Society,' are devised with people like me in mind, who don't care to dwell on what happens to the innocent.
Quote examples
John Henrik Clarke
American Author
Nothing the European mind ever devised was meant to do anything but to facilitate the European's control over the world.
Quote examples
Ronald Reagan
American President
Democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man.
Quote examples
Jacob Weisberg
American Journalist
Conservative journalists don't just have the inside track on Republican strategy - they help devise it.
Example 1 of 10
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