Words / B1

DED-ik-ayt/ˈdedɪkeɪt/

To dedicate time or effort is to give it to a purpose: dedicate yourself to; dedicate evenings to revision. Devote is a close twin. Dedicated is the adjective (a dedicated team). It also means to name a book or building in honour of someone. Do not write “dedicate at doing” — use to + noun/-ing.

Meaning

To give time or effort to a purpose; also to name a book or building in honour of someone.

Examples

• “She dedicated evenings to the dissertation after the night shift.”
• “The wing is dedicated to staff who died of Covid, which is the naming sense.”

Good to know

dedicate time / yourself to. Adjective: dedicated. Close: devote. Naming: dedicated to + person. Pattern: to + noun/-ing, not “at doing”.

Near in meaning

devote

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