Devolve

devolve
    v 1: pass on or delegate to another; "The representative
         devolved his duties to his aides while he was in the
         hospital"
    2: be inherited by; "The estate fell to my sister"; "The land
       returned to the family"; "The estate devolved to an heir that
       everybody had assumed to be dead" [syn: {fall}, {return},
       {pass}, {devolve}]
    3: grow worse; "Her condition deteriorated"; "Conditions in the
       slums degenerated"; "The discussion devolved into a shouting
       match" [syn: {devolve}, {deteriorate}, {drop}, {degenerate}]
       [ant: {convalesce}, {recover}, {recuperate}]
    

Devolve \De*volve"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Devolved}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Devolving}.] [L. devolvere, devolutum, to roll down;
   de + volvere to roll down; de + volvere to roll. See
   {Voluble}.]
   1. To roll onward or downward; to pass on.
      [1913 Webster]

            Every headlong stream
            Devolves its winding waters to the main. --Akenside.
      [1913 Webster]

            Devolved his rounded periods.         --Tennyson.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To transfer from one person to another; to deliver over;
      to hand down; -- generally with upon, sometimes with to or
      into.
      [1913 Webster]

            They devolved a considerable share of their power
            upon their favorite.                  --Burke.
      [1913 Webster]

            They devolved their whole authority into the hands
            of the council of sixty.              --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Devolve \De*volve"\, v. i.
   To pass by transmission or succession; to be handed over or
   down; -- generally with on or upon, sometimes with to or
   into; as, after the general fell, the command devolved upon
   (or on) the next officer in rank.
   [1913 Webster]

         His estate . . . devolved to Lord Somerville.
                                                  --Johnson.
   [1913 Webster]
    

29 Moby Thesaurus words for "devolve":
      accredit, assign, authorize, change hands, change ownership,
      charge, charter, commission, commit, consign, delegate, depute,
      deputize, descend, detach, detail, devolute, devolve upon, empower,
      entrust, give in charge, license, mission, pass on, post, send out,
      succeed, transfer, warrant