devote - Definitions from Dictionary.com

7 results for: devote

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

de·vote

Audio Help [di-voht] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), -vot·ed, -vot·ing.

1.	to give up or appropriate to or concentrate on a particular pursuit, occupation, purpose, cause, etc.: to devote one's time to reading.

2.	to appropriate by or as if by a vow; set apart or dedicate by a solemn or formal act; consecrate: She devoted her life to God.

3.	to commit to evil or destruction; doom.

[Origin: 1580–90; < L dévōtus vowed (ptp. of dévovére), equiv. to dé- de- + vōtus; see vote, vow

]

—Synonyms 1. assign, apply, consign. 2. Devote, dedicate, consecrate share the sense of assigning or applying someone or something to an activity, function, or end. Devote, though it has some overtones of religious dedication, is the most general of the three terms: He devoted his free time to mastering the computer. Dedicate is more solemn and carries an ethical or moral tone: We are dedicated to the achievement of equality for all. Consecrate, even in nonreligious contexts, clearly implies a powerful and sacred dedication: consecrated to the service of humanity.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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devote

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

de·vote Audio Help (dĭ-vōt') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. de·vot·ed, de·vot·ing, de·votes

To give or apply (one's time, attention, or self) entirely to a particular activity, pursuit, cause, or person.
To set apart for a specific purpose or use: land devoted to mining.
To set apart by or as if by a vow or solemn act; consecrate: a temple devoted to Apollo.

[Latin dēvovēre, dēvōt-, to vow : dē-, de- + vovēre, to vow.]

de·vote'ment n.

Synonyms: These verbs mean to give to a particular end and especially to a higher purpose. Devote implies faithfulness and loyalty: Nurses devote themselves to the care of the sick.
Dedicate connotes a solemn, often formal commitment: "To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes" (Woodrow Wilson).
Consecrate suggests sacred commitment: His entire life is consecrated to science.
To pledge is to back a personal commitment by a solemn promise: "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people" (Franklin D. Roosevelt).

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

devote
verb
1.	give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause; "She committed herself to the work of God"; "give one's talents to a good cause"; "consecrate your life to the church" [syn: give]
2.	dedicate; "give thought to"; "give priority to"; "pay attention to" [syn: give]
3.	set aside or apart for a specific purpose or use; "this land was devoted to mining"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
devote [diˈvəut] verb

(with to) to give up wholly to or use entirely for
Example: She devotes her life to music.

Arabic:	يُكَرِّسُ، يُخَصِّصُ
Chinese (Simplified):	献身于…
Chinese (Traditional):	獻身於…
Czech:	zasvětit, věnovat
Danish:	vie; hellige
Dutch:	wijden
Estonian:	pühendama
Finnish:	omistautua
French:	consacrer (à)
German:	sich widmen
Greek:	αφιερώνω, αφοσιώνομαι
Hungarian:	szentel
Icelandic:	helga, fórna
Indonesian:	mengabdikan
Italian:	dedicare, consacrare

Japanese:	ささげる
Korean:	바치다
Latvian:	veltīt; ziedot
Lithuanian:	(pa)skirti, pašvęsti
Norwegian:	vie, hellige
Polish:	poświęcać, ofiarować
Portuguese (Brazil):	devotar, consagrar
Portuguese (Portugal):	devotar
Romanian:	a (se) consacra
Russian:	посвящать
Slovak:	zasvätiť
Slovenian:	posvetiti (se)
Spanish:	dedicar(se)
Swedish:	ägna
Turkish:	adamak, vakfetmek

See also: devoted, devotion, devotee

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Devote

Ad*dict"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Addicted; p. pr. & vb. n. Addicting.] [L. addictus, p. p. of addicere to adjudge, devote; ad + dicere to say. See Diction.]

1. To apply habitually; to devote; to habituate; -- with to. "They addict themselves to the civil law." --Evelyn.

He is addicted to his study. --Beau. & Fl.

That part of mankind that addict their minds to speculations. --Adventurer.

His genius addicted him to the study of antiquity. --Fuller.

A man gross . . . and addicted to low company. --Macaulay.

2. To adapt; to make suitable; to fit. [Obs.]

The land about is exceedingly addicted to wood, but the coldness of the place hinders the growth. --Evelyn.

Syn: Addict, Devote, Consecrate, Dedicate. Addict was formerly used in a good sense; as, addicted to letters; but is now mostly employed in a bad sense or an indifferent one; as, addicted to vice; addicted to sensual indulgence. "Addicted to staying at home." --J. S. Mill. Devote is always taken in a good sense, expressing habitual earnestness in the pursuit of some favorite object; as, devoted to science. Consecrate and dedicate express devotion of a higher kind, involving religious sentiment; as, consecrated to the service of the church; dedicated to God.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Devote

De*vo"ta*ry\, n. [See Devote, Votary.] A votary. [Obs.] --J. Gregory.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Devote

De*vote"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devoted; p. pr. & vb. n. Devoting.] [L. devotus, p. p. of devovere; de + vovere to vow. See Vow, and cf. Devout, Devow.]

1. To appropriate by vow; to set apart or dedicate by a solemn act; to consecrate; also, to consign over; to doom; to evil; to devote one to destruction; the city was devoted to the flames.

No devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord . . . shall be sold or redeemed. --Lev. xxvii. 28.

2. To execrate; to curse. [Obs.]

3. To give up wholly; to addict; to direct the attention of wholly or compound; to attach; -- often with a reflexive pronoun; as, to devote one's self to science, to one's friends, to piety, etc.

Thy servant who is devoted to thy fear. --Ps. cxix. 38.

They devoted themselves unto all wickedness. --Grew.

A leafless and simple branch . . . devoted to the purpose of climbing. --Gray.

Syn: To addict; apply; dedicate; consecrate; resign; destine; doom; consign. See Addict.

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