devote

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verb de·vote \di-ˈvōt, dē-\

de·vot·edde·vot·ing

Definition of DEVOTE

transitive verb

1

:  to commit by a solemn act <devoted herself to serving God>

2

:  to give over or direct (as time, money, or effort) to a cause, enterprise, or activity

— de·vote·ment \-ˈvōt-mənt\ noun

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Examples of DEVOTE

1. <I conscientiously devote several hours every weekend to playing with my dog.>
2. <planning a diplomatic career, she's been intensely devoting herself to the study of foreign languages in college>

Origin of DEVOTE

Latin devotus, past participle of devovēre, from de- + vovēre to vow

First Known Use: 1586

Related to DEVOTE

Synonyms

allocate, consecrate, dedicate, earmark, give up (to), reserve, save, set by, set apart, set aside

Related Words

bless, hallow, sanctify; commit, confide, consign, entrust (also intrust); apply, bestow, employ, use

Near Antonyms

ignore, neglect; misapply, misuse

Synonym Discussion of DEVOTE

devote, dedicate, consecrate, hallow mean to set apart for a special and often higher end. devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective <devoted his evenings to study>. dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose <dedicated her life to medical research>. consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality <consecrate a church to the worship of God>. hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity <battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots>.

Rhymes with DEVOTE

afloat, airboat, banknote, bareboat, bluecoat, blue note, box coat, bumboat, capote, car coat, catboat, C-note, compote, connote, coyote, cutthroat, deep throat, demote, denote, dovecote, dreamboat, eighth note, emote, endnote, fireboat, fistnote, flatboat, foldboat, footnote, frock coat, gemot, grace note, greatcoat, gunboat, half note, headnote, Hohhot, houseboat, housecoat, iceboat, johnboat, keelboat, keynote, lab coat, lifeboat, longboat, mash note, one-note, peacoat, pigboat, promote, Q-boat, raincoat, Rajkot, redcoat, remote, rowboat, sack coat, sailboat, sauceboat, scapegoat, seed coat, shape note, sheepcote, showboat, sore throat, speedboat, steamboat, stoneboat, straw vote, strep throat, Sukkoth, surcoat, surfboat, swan boat, tailcoat, topcoat, towboat, trench coat, tugboat, turncoat, U-boat, unquote, wainscot, whaleboat, whitethroat, whole note, woodnote, workboat