Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Succeed \Suc*ceed"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Succeeded}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Succeeding}.] [L. succedere, successum; sub under +
   cedere to go, to go along, approach, follow, succeed: cf. F.
   succ['e]der. See {Cede}, and cf. {Success}.]
   1. To follow in order; to come next after; hence, to take the
      place of; as, the king's eldest son succeeds his father on
      the throne; autumn succeeds summer.

            As he saw him nigh succeed.           --Spenser.

   2. To fall heir to; to inherit. [Obs. & R.] --Shak.

   3. To come after; to be subsequent or consequent to; to
      follow; to pursue.

            Destructive effects . . . succeeded the curse. --Sir
                                                  T. Browne.

   4. To support; to prosper; to promote. [R.]

            Succeed my wish and second my design. --Dryden.

Succeed \Suc*ceed"\, v. i.
   1. To come in the place of another person, thing, or event;
      to come next in the usual, natural, or prescribed course
      of things; to follow; hence, to come next in the
      possession of anything; -- often with to.

            If the father left only daughters, they equally
            succeeded to him in copartnership.    --Sir M. Hale.

            Enjoy till I return Short pleasures; for long woes
            are to succeed!                       --Milton.

   2. Specifically: To ascend the throne after the removal the
      death of the occupant.

            No woman shall succeed in Salique land. --Shak.

   3. To descend, as an estate or an heirloom, in the same
      family; to devolve. --Shak.

   4. To obtain the object desired; to accomplish what is
      attempted or intended; to have a prosperous issue or
      termination; to be successful; as, he succeeded in his
      plans; his plans succeeded.

            It is almost impossible for poets to succeed without
            ambition.                             --Dryden.

            Spenser endeavored it in Shepherd's Kalendar; but
            neither will it succeed in English.   --Dryden.

   5. To go under cover. [A latinism. Obs.]

            Will you to the cooler cave succeed!  --Dryden.

   Syn: To follow; pursue. See {Follow}.

Source : WordNet®

succeed
     v 1: attain success or reach a desired goal; "The enterprise
          succeeded"; "We succeeded in getting tickets to the
          show"; "she struggled to overcome her handicap and won"
          [syn: {win}, {come through}, {bring home the bacon}, {deliver
          the goods}] [ant: {fail}]
     2: be the successor (of); "Carter followed Ford"; "Will Charles
        succeed to the throne?" [syn: {come after}, {follow}]
        [ant: {precede}]