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Devote vs Pious - What's the difference?

devote | pious |

As adjectives the difference between devote and pious

is that devote is devoted; addicted; devout while pious is of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, godfearing.

As a verb devote

is to give one's time, focus one's efforts, commit oneself, etc. entirely for, on, or to a certain matter.

devote

English

Verb

(devot)
  • To give one's time, focus one's efforts, commit oneself, etc. entirely for, on, or to a certain matter.
  • They devoted their lives to following Jesus Christ.
    I devoted this afternoon to repainting my study, and nothing will get in my way.
  • * Grew
  • They devoted themselves unto all wickedness.
  • * Gray
  • a leafless and simple branch devoted to the purpose of climbing
  • To consign over; to doom.
  • to devote one to destruction
    The city was devoted to the flames.
  • To execrate; to curse.
  • Usage notes

    * Often used in the past participle form, which has become an adjective. See devoted.

    Derived terms

    * devotion

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Devoted; addicted; devout.
  • (Milton)

    Anagrams

    * ----

    pious

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, godfearing.
  • * 2014, (Paul Salopek), Blessed. Cursed. Claimed. , National Geographic (December 2014)[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/pilgrim-roads/salopek-text]
  • Its male residents dress like crows: heavy black suits, black Borsalino hats, the old grandfathers hugely whiskered and the boys in peot, the curled sidelocks of the pious .

    Usage notes

    * Sometimes used pejoratively, in the sense of "mistaken" or "false" piety, as in "pious errors", "pious frauds".

    Synonyms

    * reverent, reverential, dutiful, religious, devout, godly

    Antonyms

    * (of or pertaining to piety) impious, independent, profane

    Derived terms

    * piously * piousness