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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Devote: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：dedicate completely (devote)

devote 🔊

/dɪˈvəʊt/

vt.

To give all your love, time and effort to a person or thing for a long time.

Devote meaning illustrated by a dedicated doctor caring for a child patient in a clinic.

dedicate completely 🔊

➕

/ˈdedɪkeɪt kəmˈpliːtli/

vt.

To commit all of one's love, energy, and time exclusively to a specific person, activity, or cause over a sustained period.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'dēvovēre': 'dē-' (thoroughly) + 'vovēre' (to vow). Meaning 'to vow thoroughly'.

💡 Mnemonic

DEdicate your VOice and TEmpo (DE-VO-TE) completely to something.

📖 Example

She decided to devote herself to teaching children in rural areas. 🔊 She made a commitment to dedicate herself fully to the education of children in rural areas.

🔗 Collocations

devote oneself to – To commit oneself entirely to a task or person.

devote time to – To allocate a specific period for an activity.

devote energy to – To focus one's efforts and vigor on something.

🔄 Synonyms

dedicate (vt.) – To set apart for a specific, often noble, purpose.

commit (vt.) – To pledge or bind to a certain course or policy.

consecrate (vt.) – To make or declare sacred; to dedicate formally to a religious purpose.

🚫 Antonyms

neglect (vt.) – To fail to care for or give proper attention to.

abandon (vt.) – To cease to support or look after; to desert.

ignore (vt.) – To refuse to take notice of or acknowledge.

🌱 Derivatives

devoted (adj.) – Very loving or loyal.

devotee (n.) – A person who is very enthusiastic about someone or something.

devotion (n.) – Love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.

📖 Cultural Story

Entered English from Latin via French, initially carrying strong religious connotations of being consecrated to a deity through a vow. This sense of solemn, total dedication broadened over time to include secular commitments of time and energy.

Meaning 2：allocate resources (devote)

devote 🔊

/dɪˈvəʊt/

vt.

To spend a specific amount of your time or effort doing something.

Devote definition shown by a student allocating focused study time at a desk with a clock.

allocate resources 🔊

➕

/ˈæləkeɪt rɪˈzɔːsɪz/

vt.

To assign or set aside a specific quantity of time, money, or effort for a particular purpose or activity.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

To master a language, you need to devote at least an hour to practice every day. 🔊 Achieving fluency in a language requires allocating a minimum of one hour daily for practice.

🔗 Collocations

devote an hour/day to – To reserve a specific time period for something.

devote resources to – To allocate materials, funds, or personnel to a project.

devote a section/chapter to – To dedicate a part of a book or report to a specific topic.

🔄 Synonyms

allocate (vt.) – To distribute resources or duties for a particular purpose.

assign (vt.) – To designate or set something aside for a specific use.

allot (vt.) – To give or apportion a share of something.

🚫 Antonyms

withhold (vt.) – To refuse to give or grant something that is due.

hoard (vt.) – To accumulate and store away, often greedily.