alienate

views updated May 29 2018

al·ien·ate / ˈālēəˌnāt; ˈālyə-/ • v. [tr.] 1. cause (someone) to feel isolated or estranged: an urban environment that would alienate its inhabitants. ∎  cause (someone) to become unsympathetic or hostile: the association does not wish to alienate its members.2. Law transfer ownership of (property rights) to another person or group.PHRASES: alienate someone's affections Law induce someone to transfer their affection from a person (such as a spouse) with legal rights or claims on them.

Alienate

views updated May 29 2018

ALIENATE

To voluntarily convey or transfer title to real property by gift, disposition by will or the laws ofdescent and distribution, or by sale.

For example, a seller may alienate property by transferring to a buyer a parcel of the seller's land containing a house, in exchange for cash. The seller is said to have alienated her rights in that parcel, such as the right to modify or even demolish the house on the parcel of land, to the buyer. Those rights now belong to the buyer.

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