What does "dedicate" mean?
Dedicate: To set apart and consecrate, as to a divinity, or for sacred uses; to devote formally and solemnly; as, to dedicate vessels, treasures, a temple, or a church, to a religious use. Vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, . . . which also king David did dedicate unto the Lord. 2 Sam. viii. 10, 11. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. . . . But in a larger sense we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. A. Lincoln.
Additional senses
- 2.To devote, set apart, or give up, as one's self, to a duty or service. The profession of a soldier, to which he had dedicated himself. Clarendon.
- 3.To inscribe or address, as to a patron. He complied ten elegant books, and dedicated them to the Lord Burghley. Peacham.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00