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devote

v.
US //dɪˈvoʊt// UK //dɪvˈəʊt// de·vote
  1. 1 to give time or effort (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate General-service

    to give a lot of your time, effort, or money to something you believe is important.

    to commit time, effort, or resources to a specific cause, activity, or person. This sense is transitive and almost always followed by the preposition 'to'.

    Example

    She decided to devote her weekends to volunteering at the local animal shelter.

    Example

    The research team will devote the remainder of the fiscal year to analyzing the data collected during the clinical trials.

    Usage

    Usually takes the form 'devote something to something/someone'.
    Pitfall
    He devoted his life for helping others.
    He devoted his life to helping others.

    The verb 'devote' is followed by the preposition 'to', not 'for'.

  2. 2 to use space or a part for a purpose (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    to use a particular area or part of something for one specific purpose.

    to designate or set aside a specific portion of a physical or abstract entity for a particular use.

    Example

    The magazine will devote five pages to the interview with the famous director.

    Example

    The museum chose to devote an entire wing to the works of local artists from the nineteenth century.

    Usage

    Often used when discussing the allocation of space in publications or buildings.
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  1. 3 to doom or hand over (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary Archaic

    to give someone or something over to a bad fate or a specific power.

    to consign or hand over to a particular fate, often a negative one. This usage is less common in modern speech and carries a more serious, final tone.

    Example

    In the old story, the hero was devoted to a life of wandering.

    Example

    The ancient text describes how the city was devoted to destruction by the invading army.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is rare in modern English; learners will mostly encounter it in older literature or religious texts.
Origin

Borrowed from Latin dēvōtus, past participle of Latin dēvoveō (“dedicate by a vow, sacrifice oneself, promise solemnly”). Doublet of devow; see also devout. Displaced native Middle English ēstful, from Old English ēstful.

Word family

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