devote Meaning, Definition & Usage

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

L. devotus, p. p. of devovere; de + vovere to vow. See Vow, and cf. Devout, Devow.

imperfect & past participle Devoted; present participle & verbal noun Devoting

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.
To execrate; to curse. Obs.
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.