es·cheat (ĭs-chēt')
n.

1. Reversion of land held under feudal tenure to the manor in the absence of legal heirs or claimants.
2. Law.
   1. Reversion of property to the state in the absence of legal heirs or claimants.
   2. Property that has reverted to the state when no legal heirs or claimants exist.

intr. & tr.v. Law, -cheat·ed, -cheat·ing, -cheats.
To revert or cause to revert by escheat.

[Middle English eschete, from Old French (from escheoir, to fall out) and from Anglo-Latin escheta, both from Vulgar Latin *excadēre, to fall out : Latin ex-, ex- + Latin cadere, to fall.]

escheatable es·cheat'a·ble adj.

---

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

---