1.
[syn: bequeath, will, leave]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Bequeath \Be*queath"\ (b[-e]*kw[=e][th]"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Bequeathed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bequeathing.] [OE. biquethen,
AS. becwe[eth]an to say, affirm, bequeath; pref. be- +
cwe[eth]an to say, speak. See Quoth.]
1. To give or leave by will; to give by testament; -- said
especially of personal property.
[1913 Webster]
My heritage, which my dead father did bequeath to
me. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. To hand down; to transmit.
[1913 Webster]
To bequeath posterity somewhat to remember it.
--Glanvill.
[1913 Webster]
3. To give; to offer; to commit. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
To whom, with all submission, on my knee
I do bequeath my faithful services
And true subjection everlastingly. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: To Bequeath, Devise.
Usage: Both these words denote the giving or disposing of
property by will. Devise, in legal usage, is property
used to denote a gift by will of real property, and he
to whom it is given is called the devisee. Bequeath is
properly applied to a gift by will or legacy; i. e.,
of personal property; the gift is called a legacy, and
he who receives it is called a legatee. In popular
usage the word bequeath is sometimes enlarged so as to
embrace devise; and it is sometimes so construed by
courts.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
bequeath
v 1: leave or give by will after one's death; "My aunt
bequeathed me all her jewelry"; "My grandfather left me his
entire estate" [syn: bequeath, will, leave] [ant:
disinherit, disown]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
49 Moby Thesaurus words for "bequeath":
abalienate, add a codicil, alien, alienate, amortize, assign,
barter, cede, confer, consign, convey, deed, deed over, deliver,
demise, devise, devolve upon, enfeoff, entail, exchange,
execute a will, give, give title to, hand, hand down, hand on,
hand over, leave, legate, make a bequest, make a will, make over,
negotiate, pass, pass on, pass over, sell, settle, settle on,
sign away, sign over, surrender, trade, transfer, transmit,
turn over, will, will and bequeath, will to