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.
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.
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.
See also: devote
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

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
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • not do (someone or oneself) any favors
  • orient
  • orient to
  • orient to (something)
  • spiff up
  • spiffed up
  • associate
  • associate oneself with
  • associate with
  • identify with
References in periodicals archive
Essid added: "Today more than ever, we need to stick to these values, join ranks, make the nation's highest interest prevail and devote oneself to hard work in order to take up posed challenges.
New Hijri Year: PM congratulates Tunisian people
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