demise

/dɪˈmaɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈmaɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈmīz/ (ame, mw)

1.名詞C1

釋義

the death of someone, especially in formal news, legal, or historical writing

例句

The court delayed the hearing after the sudden demise of the chief witness.

demise of + person in formal reporting

News of Professor Lin's demise spread across campus before noon.

同義詞

death
the neutral and most common word
passing
softer and often more polite
decease
very formal and mostly legal

反義詞

birth
the start of life
survival
continuing to live rather than dying

文法句型

the demise of + person

after + person's demise

用法筆記

This sense is much more formal than the everyday word 'death'. It often appears in newspaper reports, legal documents, and historical writing.

常見錯誤

❌My dog's demise happened yesterday.

✅My dog died yesterday.

💡'demise' sounds too formal for ordinary everyday conversation about a pet.

❌I heard the demise of my uncle on the phone.

✅I heard about my uncle's demise on the phone.

💡'demise' is the event itself, so it usually needs 'of' or a possessive pattern.

2.名詞C1

釋義

the point when a once-important company, system, idea, or tradition loses its strength and comes to an end

例句

Cheap imports sped up the demise of the local steel mill.

demise of + business or industry

Analysts blamed rising debt for the airline's rapid demise.

同義詞

downfall
often suggests failure caused by mistakes or loss of power
collapse
suggests a more sudden or dramatic failure
end
broader and less formal

反義詞

rise
growth into power or success
revival
return to strength after decline

文法句型

the demise of + company/system/industry

[adjective] demise

用法筆記

Use this sense for large-scale decline or final failure, especially with businesses, institutions, industries, or traditions. It is more formal than simply saying something ended.

常見錯誤

❌The demise of my sandwich was quick.

✅I finished my sandwich quickly.

💡This sense is used for important things such as companies, systems, or traditions, not small everyday objects.

❌The club demise happened last year.

✅The club's demise happened last year.

💡The noun usually appears with a possessive form or with 'of'.

demisepresent simple I / you / we / they
demises3rd person singular
demising-ing form
demisedpast simple

1.動詞及物C2

釋義

to pass land, property, or legal rights to another person by means such as a will, a lease, or inheritance

例句

The owner demised the farmland to his niece in his will.

demise + property + to + person

Stephanie learned that her aunt had demised the beach house to her.

同義詞

bequeath
specifically pass property by will after death
transfer
broader and more modern; not limited to legal inheritance
lease
used when property is given for a period in exchange for payment

反義詞

keep
to continue holding the property
retain
formal; to keep legal control

文法句型

demise + property/land + to + person

be demised to + heir/tenant

用法筆記

This verb belongs mainly to legal documents and older formal writing. In everyday English, people usually say 'leave', 'lease', or 'transfer' instead, depending on the situation.

常見錯誤

❌My uncle demised me his bike.

✅My uncle left me his bike in his will.

💡As a verb, 'demise' is rare and mostly limited to legal property transfer.

❌The school demised Jude to another class.

✅The school transferred Jude to another class.

💡This sense is about land, property, or rights, not moving people.

2.動詞不及物C2

釋義

to die, in very old-fashioned or literary English

例句

The old knight demised before the army reached the capital.

archaic intransitive use

In the play, the queen demises after drinking the poisoned wine.

同義詞

die
the normal modern verb
perish
literary and often more dramatic
decease
formal and legal

反義詞

live
to continue being alive
survive
to remain alive after danger

文法句型

demise + adverbial time/place

demise without + noun

用法筆記

This sense is archaic and is usually seen only in old texts, historical writing, or stylized drama. In modern English, people normally say 'die'.

常見錯誤

❌My phone demised last night.

✅My phone died last night.

💡The archaic verb is only for a person's death in old-style writing, not for broken objects.

❌My grandmother demised yesterday.

✅My grandmother died yesterday.

💡Modern everyday English almost never uses 'demise' as a verb.

demise

demise — noun

1. the death of someone, especially in formal news, legal, or historical writing

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤

2. the point when a once-important company, system, idea, or tradition loses its st

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤

demise — verb

1. to pass land, property, or legal rights to another person by means such as a wil

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤

2. to die, in very old-fashioned or literary English

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤