Lewis & Short

dē -vŏvĕo, vōvi, vōtum, 2, v. a.

  1. I. To vow, devote (usually to a deity).
    1. A. Prop. (class.): Marti ea, quae bello ceperint, Caes. B. G. 6, 17, 3; so, Dianae pulcherrimum, Cic. Off. 3, 25, 95: gnatam pro muta agna, Hor. S. 2, 3, 219 et saep.; esp. freq.: se diis, or simply se, to devote one’s self to death, to sacrifice one’s self, Cic. N. D. 2, 3 fin.; id. Fin. 2, 19, 61: se pro aere alieno, in jesting allusion to the death of the Decii, id. Phil. 11, 6, 13: se pro patria Quiritibusque Romanis, Liv. 5, 41, 3; id. 8, 9; 9, 4; Verg. A. 12, 234: devota vita, Cic. Par. 1, 2, 12; cf.: devotis corporibus in hostem ruentes, Liv. 9, 17: ancipiti deum irae devotus, id. 10, 39: hinc Remus auspicio se devovet, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107: devota morti pectora, Hor. Od. 4, 14, 18; cf. without morti: stabat devota juventus, Luc. 4, 533: caput pro salute alicujus, Val. Max. 6, 2, extr. 2 et saep.
    2. B. Transf., to devote, give up, attach (rarely): vobis animam hanc devovi, Verg. A. 11, 442; cf.: suos annos soli tibi, Ov. M. 14, 683; esp.: se, to give one’s self up to, devote one’s self to: se amicitiae alicujus, Caes. B. G. 3, 22, 2; cf.: se gloriae, Curt. 9, 6 fin.: se regibus, Sall. Hist. Fragm. 1, 73.
    3. C. To promise solemnly, vow; with inf. or obj. clause (late Lat.): qui se devoverunt, nec manducare nec bibere, Vulg. Act. 23, 21: totam vitam suam serviturum se esse devovit, August. Serm. 286, 4; Gregor. M. Homil. 1, 19, 7.
    4. D. To mark out, destine, appoint: exspectatione omnium T. Annio devota et constituta ista hostia esse videtur, Cic. Harusp. Resp. 3, 6.
  2. II. Qs. to devote to the infernal gods, i. e. to curse, to execrate (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose—for syn. cf. detestor): aliquem, Nep. Alcib. 4, 5: natum suum (Theseus), Ov. F. 6, 738: se ipse, Quint. 5, 6, 2: scelerata arma, Ov. M. 5, 102: suas artes, id. ib. 8, 234: devota arbos, Hor. Od. 3, 4, 27: devoti sanguinis aetas, id. Epod. 16, 9 et saep.; v. such a form of imprecation in Macr. S. 3, 9.
  3. III. To bewitch by conjurations (poet.): aliquem carminibus, pollentibus herbis, Tib. 1, 8, 18: aliquem trajectis lanis, Ov. Am. 3, 7, 80; cf.: devota veneno corpora, id. ib. 3, 7, 27.
    Hence, dēvōtus, a, um, P. a. (acc. to no. I. B.).
    1. A. Devoted to any one, i. e. attached, faithful (post-Aug.): ni tibi deditus essem Devotusque cliens, Juv. 9, 72; so with deditus, Sen. Ben. 3, 5: devotissimus alicui, Suet. Caes. 67 fin.; cf. Sen. Ben. 5, 17; and: DEVOTISSIMVS NVMINI MAIESTATIQVE EIVS, Inscr. Orell. 859; and so in comp., Claud. B. Gild. 289: animus alicui devotus, Tiber. ap. Suet. Tib. 67: equester ordo scenae harenaeque devotus, id. Calig. 30.
      Poet.: devotae in externa proelia dextrae, ready for, Luc. 3, 311.
      Subst.: cum DC devotis, quos illi Soldurios appellant, with six hundred faithful followers, Caes. B. G. 3, 22, 1.
    2. B. In Christian authors, pious, devout: Roma Deo, Prud. adv. Symm. 2 fin.: filia Christo, Hier. Ep. 108, 2: jejunia, Aus. Idyll. 1, 2; so, obedient to authority, Cassiod. Varr. 2, 16.
    3. C. Like deditus, given to, abandoned to a habit or thing (rare): vino, Phaedr. 4, 5, 6.
      Adv.: dēvōtē, devotedly, faithfully: devote ac strenue, Cod. Th. 6, 24, 10.
      Sup.: Deo devotissime serviamus, Lact. 6, 9 fin.; Aug. Ep. 86 fin.