devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective.
devoted his evenings to study
dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose.
dedicated her life to medical research
consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality.
consecrate a church to the worship of God
hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity.
battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots
Example Sentences
Lincoln's memorable words at the Gettysburg battlefield, “we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground”.
Recent Examples on the WebFrenchman Street’s hallowed jazz halls, including Snug Harbor, are empty. Andrew J. Yawn, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2020 The art of the civilizing myth, the pleasing illusion, which once did something to hallow the institution, has given way to a dress-down cult of the merely functional, a culture of drabness. Michael Knox Beran, National Review, 6 Feb. 2020 Legend has it that proposals for a mid-engined Corvette date back to Zora Arkus-Duntov, the car’s hallowed first chief engineer. Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 29 Dec. 2019 Citizens cannot even agree over once-hallowed and shared national holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July. Victor Davis Hanson, National Review, 26 Sep. 2019 View this post on Instagram As the economic crisis hallows out some elements of Puerto Rican life, other locales evolve in the hands of artists. Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, 31 Jan. 2019 The leaders of Abundant Life plan to celebrate the 250th anniversary of First Reformed with a reconsecration ceremony, a chance to fire up the rusty old organ and hallow these halls anew, in memory of those who built them centuries ago. Justin Chang, latimes.com, 17 May 2018 Industrial comebacks are possible The country’s industrial heartland can appear hallowed-out, based on statistics and its portrayal in the media. Patrick Sisson, Curbed, 25 Apr. 2018 Telling about the Holocaust as an end in itself hallows the slavery without the Exodus. Ruth R. Wisse, WSJ, 29 Mar. 2018 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English halowen, from Old English hālgian, from hālig holy — more at holy
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of hallow was before the 12th century