Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense devotes, present participle devoting, past tense, past participle devoted
1. verb
If you devote yourself, your time, or your energy to something, you spend all or most of your time or energy on it.
He decided to devote the rest of his life to scientific investigation. [VERB noun + to]
Considerable resources have been devoted to proving him a liar. [VERB noun + to]
She gladly gave up her part-time job to devote herself entirely to her art. [VERB pronoun-reflexive + to]
Synonyms: dedicate, give, commit, apply More Synonyms of devote
2. verb
If you devote a particular proportion of a piece of writing or a speech to a particular subject, you deal with the subject in that amount of space or time.
He devoted a major section of his massive report to an analysis of U.S. aircraftdesign. [VERB noun + to]
In her 900-page memoirs, only four pages are devoted to the arts. [VERB noun to noun]
devote in British English
(dɪˈvəʊt)
verb(transitive)
1.
to apply or dedicate (oneself, time, money, etc) to some pursuit, cause, etc
2. obsolete
to curse or doom
Derived forms
devotement (deˈvotement)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin dēvōtus devoted, solemnly promised, from dēvovēre to vow; see de-, vow
devote in American English
(dɪˈvoʊt)
verb transitiveWord forms: deˈvoted or deˈvoting
1.
to set apart for a special use or service; dedicate
2.
to give up (oneself or one's time, energy, etc.) to some purpose, activity, or person
3. Obsolete
to curse or doom
SYNONYMY NOTE: to devote is to give up or apply oneself or something with the seriousness or earnestness evokedby a formal vow [to devote one's life to a cause]; to dedicate is to set apart or assign (something), as in a formal rite, to some serious, oftensacred, purpose [to dedicate a temple]; to consecrate is to set apart for some religious or holy use [to consecrate ground for a church]; hallow1, a stronger word, suggests an intrinsic holiness in the thing set apart [to hallow the Sabbath]
Derived forms
devotement (deˈvotement)
noun
Word origin
< L devotus, pp. of devovere, to dedicate by vow < de-, from + vovere, to vow: see vote
Examples of 'devote' in a sentence
devote
That idea had been around for a while but was too odd to devote the time to complete it.
The Sun (2016)
He moved to a church house in the city, devoting more time to gardening.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Make a weekly timetable, where you can plan pockets of time to devote to your new healthy lifestyle.
The Sun (2017)
Over the next month, see how much energy you put into your fantasies compared to the time you devote to your man.
The Sun (2016)
Luxury lines are devoting more time to the region, too, with creative itineraries that blend islands and ports.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You set a fair limit on the energy you devote to family life.
The Sun (2012)
They have whole web pages devoted to them.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The current fashion moment is entirely devoted to the obscuring of legs.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The success has encouraged retailers to devote a larger amount of space to headphones.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
You devote considerable time to these and get little in return.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Perhaps the energy devoted to spin should be redirected into those red boxes.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Ten dreary pages devoted to her food diary.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Other sports like soccer were invading the media space previously devoted entirely to the race.
Frankie Dettori with Jonathan Powell FRANKIE: The Autobiography of Frankie Dettori (2004)
Executives will then devote energy to finding ways round any restrictions.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
His stay has been almost entirely devoted to arranging his family affairs.
Amanda Mackenzie Stuart Consuelo & Alva: Love and Power in the Gilded Age (2005)
He devoted vast amounts of time and energy to bring all this about in little over five months.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It is thought that he plans to devote more time to his role as spokesman on uniform operations.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The trick is to make the team interested enough to devote sufficient energy and concentration to the task.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
But such is the desire for speed and collaborative conversation that few are likely to devote much time to mourning its passing.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
People don't expect praise for devoting large amounts of time to other hobbies.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Yet very little energy is devoted to coming up with ways to use the clobber space for passengers in the absence of clobber.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
That's because hundreds of people drawing public sector salaries devote their entire time to union business.
The Sun (2011)
When we watch a new show, we have to devote more energy to following the plot.
The Sun (2014)
More worryingly, some devote huge amounts of time to setting up associations to get rid of them.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I've devoted myself entirely to my work.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Now I am no longer obliged to read the interminable pages devoted in the sports sections to football.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
devote
British English: devote VERB
If you devote yourself, your time, or your energy to something, you spend all or most of your time or energy on it.
He decided to devote the rest of his life to scientific investigation.
American English: devote
Brazilian Portuguese: dedicar-se
Chinese: 把…奉献给
European Spanish: dedicar
French: consacrer
German: widmen
Italian: consacrare
Japanese: ささげる
Korean: 바치다
European Portuguese: dedicar-se
Latin American Spanish: dedicar
Chinese translation of 'devote'
devote
(dɪˈvəut)
vt
to devote time/energy to sth为(為)某事付出时(時)间(間)/精力 (wèi mǒushì fùchū shíjiān/jīnglì)
to devote o.s. to sth致力于(於)某事 (zhìlì yú mǒushì)
(verb)
Definition
to apply or dedicate (one's time, money, or effort) to a particular purpose
He decided to devote the rest of his life to music.
Synonyms
dedicate
He dedicated himself to politics.
give
a memorial to a man who gave his life for his country
commit
apply
reserve
pledge
surrender
assign
Later in the year, she'll assign them research papers.
allot
give over
consecrate
The church was consecrated in 1234.
set apart
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assign
Definition
to give a task or duty (to someone)
Later in the year, she'll assign them research papers.
Synonyms
give,
set,
grant,
allocate,
give out,
consign,
allot,
apportion
in the sense of consecrate
Definition
to make or declare sacred or for religious use
The church was consecrated in 1234.
Synonyms
sanctify,
dedicate,
ordain,
exalt,
venerate,
set apart,
hallow,
devote
in the sense of give
Definition
to sacrifice or devote
a memorial to a man who gave his life for his country