De-mīse'1, n.
(-mīz'), n. [From Fr. démettre, p. p. démis, démise, to put away, lay down, from dé, for dés, equiv. to Lat. dis, and mettre, to put, place, lay, from Lat. mittere, to send.]
Sense 1. Transmission by formal act or conveyance to an heir or successor; transferrence; making over; especially the transfer or transmission of the crown or royal authority to a successor.
Sense 2. The decease of a royal or princely person; hence, also, the death of any distinguished individual.
The crown at the moment of demise must descend to the next heir. Macaulay.
Sense 3. (Law.) The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter. Bouvier.
The demise of the crown is a transfer of the crown, royal authority, or kingdom, to a successor. Thus, when Edward IV. was driven from his throne for a few months by the house of Lancaster, this temporary transfer of his dignity was called a demise. Thus the natural death of a king or queen came to be denominated a demise, as by that event the crown is transferred to a successor. Blackstone.
Demise and redemise, a conveyance where there are mutual leases made from one to another of the same land, or something out of it.
Synonyms— Death; decease; departure; release. See DEATH.