in sing.
1
- a person's death（人的）死亡：
Mr Grisenthwaite's tragic demise.
格里森思韦特先生的悲剧性死亡。
1.1
- the end or failure of an enterprise or institution（企业或机构的）消亡, 失败：
the demise of industry.
工业的消亡。
2
- mass noun Law conveyance or transfer of property or a title by demising【律】（财产或所有权的）转让, 遗赠。
with obj.
1- Law convey or grant (an estate) by will or lease【律】遗赠, 转让（产业）。
1.1
- transmit (a sovereign's title) by death or abdication正式放弃, 禅让（最高统治者的头衔）。
词源
late Middle English (as a legal term)： from Anglo-Norman French， past participle (used as a noun) of Old French desmettre 'dismiss'， (in reflexive) 'abdicate'， based on Latin dimittere （see DISMISS）.