Webster's English Dictionary

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escheat

1. es.cheat \is(h)-'che-t\ n [ME eschete, fr. OF, reversion of property, 
   fr. escheoir to fall, d]evolve, fr. (assumed) VL excade-re, fr. L ex- + 
   (assumed) VL cade-re to fall, fr. L cadere - more at CHANCE 1: escheated 
   property  2a: the reversion of lands in English feudal law to the lord of 
   the fee upo n the failure of heirs capable of inheriting under the original 
   grant 2b: the reversion of property to the crown in England or to the state 
   in th e U.S. by failure of persons legally entitled to hold the property
2. escheat \-'che-t-*-b*l\ vt : to cause to revert by escheat to revert by 
   escheat  - es.cheat.able aj