[es.cheat] n [ME eschete, fr. OF, reversion of property, fr. escheoir to fall, devolve, fr. (assumed) VL excadere, fr. L ex- + (assumed) VL cadere to fall, fr. L cadere--more at chance] (14c) 1: escheated property
2. a: the reversion of lands in English feudal law to the lord of the fee when there are no heirs capable of inheriting under the original grant b: the reversion of property to the crown in England or to the state in the U.S. when there are no legal heirs
[2]escheat vt (14c): to cause to revert by escheat ~ vi: to revert by escheat -- es.cheat.able adj