dedicate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   inscribe or address by way of compliment

   The writer dedicated the book to their parents.

2. 2
   verb

   To set apart for a special use.

   dedicated their money to scientific research.

3. 3
   verb

   To commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action.

   dedicated ourselves to starting our own business.

4. 4
   verb

   To show to the public for the first time.

   dedicate a monument.

5. 5
   adj

   Dedicated; set apart; devoted; consecrated.

   Dedicate to nothing temporal.

6. 6
   noun

   One who dedicates themselves, or who is dedicated, to the service of some leader, religion, etc.

   Glancing at the crowd of onlookers, she said, “I know that service at the dining hall will be over soon”—instantly a few dedicates and all of the novices hurried away—“and some of us here would like to prepare our own meal.” […] Out of sight of the dedicates, she climbed over the short fence and escaped to Winding Circle's biggest library.

7. 7
   verb

   set apart to sacred uses with solemn rites, of a church

8. 8
   verb

   give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause

Etymology

From Middle English dedicaten (“to dedicate”), from dedicat(e) (“dedicated”, also used as the past participle of dedicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), from Latin dēdicātus, the perfect passive participle of dēdicō (“to dedicate, proclaim”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).