*succession*

n. [ L. successio: cf. F. succession. See Succeed. ] 1. The act of succeeding, or following after; a following of things in order of time or place, or a series of things so following; sequence; as, a succession of good crops; a succession of disasters. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A series of persons or things according to some established rule of precedence; as, a succession of kings, or of bishops; a succession of events in chronology. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was in the succession to an earldom. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An order or series of descendants; lineage; race; descent. “A long succession must ensue.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The power or right of succeeding to the station or title of a father or other predecessor; the right to enter upon the office, rank, position, etc., held ny another; also, the entrance into the office, station, or rank of a predecessor; specifically, the succeeding, or right of succeeding, to a throne. [ 1913 Webster ]

You have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The animosity of these factions did not really arise from the dispute about the succession. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The right to enter upon the possession of the property of an ancestor, or one near of kin, or one preceding in an established order. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. The person succeeding to rank or office; a successor or heir. [ R. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Apostolical succession. (Theol.) See under Apostolical. --
Succession duty, a tax imposed on every succession to property, according to its value and the relation of the person who succeeds to the previous owner. [ Eng. ] --
Succession of crops. (Agric.) See Rotation of crops, under Rotation. [ 1913 Webster ]