cede /siːd/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: French ; Origin: céder , from Latin cedere 'to go, withdraw, give up' ]
formal to give something such as an area of land or a right to a country or person, especially when you are forced to
cede something to somebody
Hong Kong was ceded to Britain in 1842.
⇨ ↑ cession