De-vōtē'1, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. DEVOTED; p. pr. & vb. n. DEVOTING.] [Lat. devovere, devotum, from de and vovere, to vow, to promise solemnly or sacredly; Fr. dévouer.] 1. To appropriate by vow; to set apart or dedicate by a solemn act; to consecrate; —also, in a bad sense, to consign over; to doom; to execrate; to doom to evil; as, 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. Every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord. Lev. xxvii. 28. 2. To give up wholly; to addict; to direct the attention of wholly or chiefly; to attach; — often with a reflexive pronoun; as, to devote one's self to science; to devote ourselves to our friends, or to their interest or pleasure. Syn. — To addict; apply; dedicate; consecrate; resign; destine; doom; consign. See ADDICT.