Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DE-VISE', v.t. [s as z; Fr. deviser, to talk or interchange thoughts; It. divisare, to think, divide or share; from L. divisus, divido.]

1. To invent; to contrive; to form in the mind by new combinations of ideas, new applications of principles, or new arrangement of parts; to excogitate; to strike out by thought; to plan; to scheme; to project; as, to devise an engine or machine; to devise a new mode of writing; to devise a plan of defense; to devise arguments. To devise curious works in gold and silver. – Ex. xxxv. In a bad sense: Devise not evil against thy neighbor. – Prov. iii.
2. To give or bequeath by will, as land or other real estate. – Blackstone.