com·mit·ment   (kə-mĭt'mənt)    n.   The act or an instance of committing, especially: The act of referring a legislative bill to committee. Official consignment, as to a prison or mental health facility. A court order authorizing consignment to a prison. A pledge to do. Something pledged, especially an engagement by contract involving financial obligation. A pledge to do. Something pledged, especially an engagement by contract involving financial obligation. The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons: a deep commitment to liberal policies; a profound commitment to the family.

Commitment

Com*mit"ment\, n. 1. The act of committing, or putting in charge, keeping, or trust; consignment; esp., the act of committing to prison.

They were glad to compound for his bare commitment to the Tower, whence he was within few days enlarged. --Clarendon.

2. A warrant or order for the imprisonment of a person; -- more frequently termed a mittimus.

3. The act of referring or intrusting to a committee for consideration and report; as, the commitment of a petition or a bill.

4. A doing, or perpetration, in a bad sense, as of a crime or blunder; commission.

5. The act of pledging or engaging; the act of exposing, endangering, or compromising; also, the state of being pledged or engaged. --Hamilton.

Main Entry: commitment
Function: noun
1 : an act of committing: as a : placement in or assignment to a prison or mental hospital commitment> —compare INCOMPETENT, INTERDICTION
NOTE: Commitment to a mental health facility is called civil commitment when it is not part of a criminal proceeding. Civil commitment proceedings are initiated by the patient, in the case of voluntary commitment, or by someone (as a family member or government agent) authorized by statute to petition for the patient's involuntary commitment. Some form of a hearing and periodic review is required in involuntary commitment proceedings. A criminal defendant may be committed to a mental hospital as a result of being found incompetent to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, or incompetent to be sentenced. b : an act of referring a matter to a legislative committee c : a warrant committing someone to a prison
2 : an agreement or promise to do something in the future; especially : a promise to assume a financial obligation at a future date commitments>

Main Entry: com·mit·ment
Pronunciation: k&-'mit-m&nt
Function: noun
: a consignment to a penal or mental institution