de ‧ vise /dɪˈvaɪz/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: deviser , from Latin divisus , past participle of dividere 'to divide' ]
to plan or invent a new way of doing something:
She devised a method for quicker communications between offices.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ devise a method/way
Our aim is to devise a way to improve quality and reduce costs.
▪ devise a means (=think of a way)
We must devise a means of transport that does not pollute the atmosphere.
▪ devise a system
How do you devise a system of testing students that is completely fair?
▪ devise a plan/scheme
Together they devised a clever plan to escape.
▪ devise a strategy
The region is keen to devise a strategy to develop tourism.
▪ devise a solution
Representatives met to discuss the crisis and devise solutions.
▪ devise a programme
Your trainer will devise an exercise programme for you to follow.
▪ devise an experiment/test
He devised a series of experiments to test his theory.
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THESAURUS
▪ invent to think of an idea for a new product, machine etc, and design it or make it:
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.
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Who invented the Internet?
▪ create to make or design something new and original:
We decided to create the software ourselves.
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For her latest book, she has created a whole new group of characters.
▪ think of something/think up something to produce a new idea, plan, method, excuse etc by thinking:
I’ve thought of an idea.
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They’re always trying to think up new ways to improve efficiency.
▪ come up with something to produce a new idea, a way of dealing with something etc, especially a good one:
How did you come up with that idea?
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Ellis came up with the solution to the problem immediately.
▪ make something up to invent a story, song, game, excuse etc:
My mother used to make up bedtime stories for us.
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I didn’t want to go to the class, so I decided to make up an excuse.
▪ dream something up to think of an idea or plan, especially one that seems unusual or even crazy:
It can’t be easy dreaming up new advertisements all the time.
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I wonder who dreamt up that idea!
▪ devise formal to invent a way of doing something, especially one that is clever or complicated:
This system was devised as a way of measuring students’ progress.
▪ conceive formal to think of a new idea, plan etc and develop it in your mind:
The project was originally conceived by a Dutch businessman two years ago.