Definition of escheat Escheat

es•cheat

We found 16 definitions of escheat from 6 different sources.

What does escheat mean?

Noun Plural: escheats
escheat - a reversion to the state (as the ultimate owner of property) in the absence of legal heirs
		reversion turning in the opposite direction
escheat - the property that reverts to the state

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escheat (Noun)
The return of property of a deceased person to the state originally to a feudal lord where there are no legal heirs or claimants.
escheat (Noun)
The property so reverted.
escheat (Noun)
Plunder, booty.
escheat (Verb)
To revert by this process.

escheat (n.)
The falling back or reversion of lands, by some casualty or accident, to the lord of the fee, in consequence of the extinction of the blood of the tenant, which may happen by his dying without heirs, and formerly might happen by corruption of blood, that is, by reason of a felony or attainder.
escheat (n.)
The reverting of real property to the State, as original and ultimate proprietor, by reason of a failure of persons legally entitled to hold the same.
escheat (n.)
A writ, now abolished, to recover escheats from the person in possession.
escheat (n.)
Lands which fall to the lord or the State by escheat.
escheat (n.)
That which falls to one; a reversion or return
escheat (v. i.)
To revert, or become forfeited, to the lord, the crown, or the State, as lands by the failure of persons entitled to hold the same, or by forfeiture.
escheat (v. t.)
To forfeit.

escheat
es-chēt′, n. property which falls to the state for want of an heir, or by forfeiture: (Spens.) plunder.—v.t. to confiscate.—v.i. to fall to the lord of the manor or the state.—adj. Escheat′able.—ns. Escheat′age; Escheat′or. [O. Fr. eschete—escheoir (Fr. échoir)—Low L.,—L. ex, out, cadĕre, to fall.]

escheat
An officer at the exchequer of very ancient establishment, under the lord-treasurer, whose business it is to inform of escheats and casual profits of the crown, and to seize them into the king's hands.