. (Firearms) A revolver made according to a system using a patented revolving cylinder, holding six cartridges, patented by Samuel Colt, an American inventor, in 1835. With various modifications, it was for many years been the standard for the United States army. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Devolved p. pr. & vb. n. Devolving. ] [ L. devolvere, devolutum, to roll down; de + volvere to roll down; de + volvere to roll. See Voluble. ] 1. To roll onward or downward; to pass on. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every headlong stream
Devolves its winding waters to the main. Akenside. [ 1913 Webster ]

Devolved his rounded periods. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To transfer from one person to another; to deliver over; to hand down; -- generally with upon, sometimes with to or into. [ 1913 Webster ]

They devolved a considerable share of their power upon their favorite. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

They devolved their whole authority into the hands of the council of sixty. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To pass by transmission or succession; to be handed over or down; -- generally with on or upon, sometimes with to or into; as, after the general fell, the command devolved upon (or on) the next officer in rank. [ 1913 Webster ]

His estate . . . devolved to Lord Somerville. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or process of devolving;; devolution. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Evolved p. pr. & vb. n. Evolving. ] [ L. evolvere, evolutum; e out + volvere to roll. See Voluble. ] 1. To unfold or unroll; to open and expand; to disentangle and exhibit clearly and satisfactorily; to develop; to derive; to educe. [ 1913 Webster ]

The animal soul sooner evolves itself to its full orb and extent than the human soul. Sir. M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

The principles which art involves, science alone evolves. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not by any power evolved from man's own resources, but by a power which descended from above. J. C. Shairp. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To throw out; to emit; as, to evolve odors. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become open, disclosed, or developed; to pass through a process of evolution. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of evolving, or the state of being evolved; evolution. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. evolvens, -entis, unrolling, p. pr. of evolvere. ] (Geom.) The involute of a curve. See Involute, and Evolute. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Revolved p. pr. & vb. n. Revolving. ] [ L. revolvere, revolutum; pref. re- re- + volvere to roll, turn round. See Voluble, and cf. Revolt, revolution. ] 1. To turn or roll round on, or as on, an axis, like a wheel; to rotate, -- which is the more specific word in this sense. [ 1913 Webster ]

If the earth revolve thus, each house near the equator must move a thousand miles an hour. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To move in a curved path round a center; as, the planets revolve round the sun. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To pass in cycles; as, the centuries revolve. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To return; to pass. [ R. ] Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To cause to turn, as on an axis. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then in the east her turn she shines,
Revolved on heaven's great axile. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, to turn over and over in the mind; to reflect repeatedly upon; to consider all aspects of. [ 1913 Webster ]

This having heard, straight I again revolved
The law and prophets. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Act of revolving. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or state of revolving; revolution. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Its own revolvency upholds the world. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, revolves; specifically, a firearm ( commonly a pistol) with several chambers or barrels so arranged as to revolve on an axis, and be discharged in succession by the same lock; a repeater. [ 1913 Webster ]