Idioms

devote oneself to

devote to (someone or something)

1. To commit or dedicate oneself to someone or something. In this usage, a reflexive pronoun is used between "devote" and "to." Because I have completely devoted myself to my family, I refuse to relocate for work and upend their lives. Unfortunately, Molly seems to have devoted herself to a dubious nonprofit organization. Jana won an academic award after devoting herself to her studies.
2. To allocate or earmark someone or something for someone or something else. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "devote" and "to." This week, I'm devoting all of my free time to finishing my term paper. All of the interns have been devoted to our mailing, so it shouldn't take too long to finish. Those are the boxes I devoted to storage—don't open them!
3. To dedicate a religious or other solemn occasion to someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "devote" and "to." Today's prayer service is devoted to people in war-torn countries around the globe. The school's May Procession is devoted to Mary, the Mother of God. We have a First Friday Mass every month, and it's typically devoted to the nearest religious holiday.
See also: devote, to
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

devote oneself to someone or something

to dedicate or give oneself over to someone or something. Do you agree to devote yourself to this task? She devoted herself to raising her children.
See also: devote, to
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
See also:
References in periodicals archive
Or he can ask him whether he can bear the idea of seeing another man in the presidential palace, whether he ever thinks of retirement in moments of fatigue, or whether it is now time to leave behind official seals and devote oneself to writing memoirs.
The Former,C*President
These are the abilities to take care of oneself responsibly, to love another person intimately, to devote oneself to children, and to care enough about one's community to try to make it better.
The Liberal Mind: the Psychological Causes of Political Madness
Such a concept emanates from a selfless desire to devote oneself to be a part of a non-utilitarian reciprocal circle.
Trilogy of Love (Community)
What's it to you if these feminists, as you say, all want to get into "the academic profession, where one can be aloof from men and devote oneself to the study of the destiny of woman?" As one cowboy friend of mine said, "Women have the right to work wherever they want, as long as they have the dinner ready when you get home."
The masculine mystique: a Harvard professor has written a book on manliness. John Wayne isn't impressed
They are: the secularization of time, an acceleration in the rhythms of life, far greater precision in all aspects of life, a growing demand for predictability--and, finally, "monochronia," a refusal to devote oneself to several tasks at once.
The art of idleness; Work ... but only if you must: a philosophical dialogue
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