devote

/di-ˈvōt dē-/ (ame, mw)

devote — verb

  • devotepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • devotes3rd person singular
  • devoting-ing form
  • devotedpast simple

1. to commit your time and emotional energy to a person, cause, or activity because

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to commit your time and emotional energy to a person, cause, or activity because you believe it is deeply important — for example, devoting your life to helping the poor, or devoting yourself to a lifelong partner.

例句

Hoa devoted her free Saturdays to working at the animal shelter.

devote + time period + to + gerund

After retiring, Bilal devoted himself to teaching young children to read.

reflexive: devote + oneself + to + noun/gerund

同義詞
  • dedicate

    very close in meaning; 'dedicate' often suggests a formal ceremony or public acknowledgement, while 'devote' focuses on sustained effort over time.

  • commit

    broader and slightly less emotional; 'commit' can apply to plans, decisions, or relationships, not just personal sacrifice.

  • give oneself to

    phrasal equivalent, more general and less intense than 'devote'; can sound less formal.

反義詞
  • neglect

    to fail to give enough care or attention to someone or something

  • abandon

    to leave someone or something permanently, the opposite of lifelong commitment

文法句型

devote + reflexive pronoun + to + noun/gerund

devote + one's life/time/energy + to + noun/gerund

用法筆記

Frequently used with a reflexive pronoun (devote oneself) when the target of dedication is a cause or activity rather than a specific person. This sense carries a strong emotional tone of personal sacrifice.

常見錯誤

❌She devotes to help the poor.
✅She devotes her time to helping the poor.
💡The pattern requires a direct object (time / life / oneself) before 'to', and a gerund (not a bare infinitive) after 'to'.
❌He devoted his children.
✅He devoted himself to his children.
💡You cannot 'devote' another person; the direct object must be yourself or your resources.

2. to decide that a particular amount of time, money, effort, space, or another res

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to decide that a particular amount of time, money, effort, space, or another resource should be used toward achieving a certain goal — for example, devoting an hour each day to language study, or devoting a page of the newsletter to local events.

例句

The city council devoted thirty percent of its budget to public transportation.

quantify: devote + percentage + of + budget + to + noun

Arjun devotes at least two hours each evening to practicing the piano.

devote + time period + to + gerund

同義詞
  • allocate

    more formal and business-like; 'allocate' is preferred in institutional or financial contexts.

  • set aside

    phrasal verb, more concrete; 'set aside' implies physically or deliberately reserving something for later use.

  • assign

    focuses on giving a task or role to someone, rather than dedicating a resource to a purpose.

反義詞
  • withhold

    to deliberately keep back resources that could have been given

  • divert

    to use something for a different purpose than originally intended

文法句型

devote + time/money/resources/space + to + noun/gerund

devote + quantity/percentage + of + noun + to + noun/gerund

用法筆記

The direct object is typically a measurable or quantifiable resource (time, money, space, effort). Unlike sense 1, this sense is neutral in tone — it focuses on practical allocation rather than emotional commitment. The object may be a proportion (half, thirty percent, a large portion).

常見錯誤

❌I devoted to finish the report by Friday.
✅I devoted two hours to finishing the report.
💡The pattern is 'devote + [resource] + to + gerund', never 'devote + to + infinitive'.
❌We devoted the meeting to discuss the budget.
✅We devoted the first half of the meeting to discussing the budget.
💡After 'to', use a gerund or noun, not a bare or full infinitive.