dedicate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to set apart and consecrate to a deity or to a sacred purpose.
The ancient Greeks dedicated many shrines to Aphrodite.
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to devote wholly and earnestly, as to some person or purpose.
He dedicated his life to fighting corruption.
- Synonyms:
- consecrate, pledge, commit
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to offer formally (a book, piece of music, etc.) to a person, cause, or the like in testimony of affection or respect, as on a prefatory page.
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(loosely) to inscribe a personal signature on (a book, drawing, etc., that is one's own work), usually with a salutation addressing the recipient.
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to mark the official completion or opening of (a public building, monument, highway, etc.), usually by formal ceremonies.
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to set aside for or assign to a specific function, task, or purpose.
The county health agency has dedicated one inspector to monitor conditions in nursing homes.
adjective
verb
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(often foll by to) to devote (oneself, one's time, etc) wholly to a special purpose or cause; commit wholeheartedly or unreservedly
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(foll by to) to address or inscribe (a book, artistic performance, etc) to a person, cause, etc as a token of affection or respect
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(foll by to) to request or play (a record) on radio for another person as a greeting
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to assign or allocate to a particular project, function, etc
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to set apart for a deity or for sacred uses; consecrate
adjective
Related Words
See devote.
Other Word Forms
- dedicatee noun
- dedicator noun
- dedicatory adjective
- overdedicate verb (used with object)
- prededicate verb (used with object)
- rededicate verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of dedicate
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English (verb and adjective) from Latin dēdicātus, past participle of dēdicāre “to declare, devote,” equivalent to dē- “from, away, out of” + dicāre “to indicate, consecrate,” akin to dīcere “to say, speak”; de-, dictate )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You could tell he was happy at the end, as he dedicated the song to his wife Kouvr with a smile wider than a football field.
From BBC
The 34-year-old is now launching a new ITV reality show called The Heat, but dedicates much of her time to investigating topics such as cosmetic surgery, adult entertainment and online trolling.
From BBC
"His fitness, he's absolutely dedicated to his craft. He makes the sacrifices. He's all about his fitness and his level of performance."
From BBC
The parsonage between the village and the moors where the Brontes lived with their clergyman father and brother, Branwell, is now a museum dedicated to their memory.
From Barron's
Earlier Friday, OpenAI alluded to the new processor when it announced it would sign up for a major purchase of “dedicated inference capacity” from Nvidia, alongside a $30 billion investment from the chip giant.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
