Be-quēath', v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. BEQUEATHED; p. pr. & vb. n. BEQUEATHING.] [A-S. becvedhan, from the pref. be and cvedhan, to say, to speak; Goth. qvithan, O. S. quethan, Icel. qveda, Sw. qväda, Dan. qväde, O. H. Ger. quethan, quedan, Eng. quoth.]
Sense 1. To give or leave by will; to give by testament; — said of personal property.
My heritage, which my dead father did bequeath to me. Shak.
Sense 2. To hand down; to transmit. “To bequeath posterity somewhat to remember it.” Glanville.
Synonyms—To BEQUEATH, DEVISE. These words both denote the giving or disposing of property by will. Devise, in legal usage, is properly 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.