dē-dĭco, āvi, ātum, 1 (in the tmesis: data deque dicata, Lucil. ap. Non. 287, 28), v. a., to give out tidings, a notice, etc.; hence, to affirm, declare, announce any thing (cf. de in denuncio and depromo).
I In gen. (so only ante- and postclass.): legati quo missi sunt, veniunt, dedicant mandata, Cael. ap. Non. 280, 7; Att. ib. (v. 78 Ribbeck); Lucr. 1, 422; cf. id. 1, 367; 3, 208: aliae (propositiones) dedicativae sunt, quod dedicant aliquid de quopiam; ut: Virtus bonum est : dedicat enim virtuti inesse bonitatem, affirms , Ap. Dogm. Plat. 3, p. 30 al.; cf. dedicativus.—
II Esp.
A Relig. t. t., to dedicate, consecrate, set apart a thing to a deity or deified person (for syn. cf.: 1. dico, consecro, inauguro, initio.—Class.): nonne ab A. Postumio aedem Castori ac Polluci in foro dedicatam vides? Cic. N. D. 3, 5, 13: aedem Saturno, Liv. 2, 21: aedem Mercurii, id. 2, 27 et saep.: delubrum Homeri, Cic. Arch. 8 fin. : simulacrum Jovis, id. Verr. 2, 4, 28: loca sacris faciendis, Liv. 1, 21: aram Augusto, Suet. Claud. 2: domum Dei, Vulg. 2 Par. 7, 5; id. 3 Reg. 8, 63.
b With the deity as object instead of the temple: ut Fides, ut Mens, quas in Capitolio dedicatas videmus (i. e. quarum aedes), Cic. N. D. 2, 23, 61; 2, 31, 79 (cf. however, id. Leg. 2, 11, 28): Junonem, Liv. 5, 52, 10: Apollinem, Hor. Od. 1, 31, 1; and even te quoque magnificā, Concordia, dedicat aede, Livia, Ov. F. 6, 637.—
2 Transf. (post-Aug.)
a To dedicate, inscribe a composition to any one (for which mittere ad aliquem, or mittere alicui, Cic. Att. 8, 11, 7; 14, 21, 3; id. Div. 2, 1, 3; Varr. L. L. 5, 1): Honori et meritis dedicans illum librum tuis, Phaedr. 3 prol. 30; Plin. H. N. praef. § 12: perfecto operis tibi dedicati tertio libro, Quint. 4 prooem. § 1.—
b In gen., to destine, dispose, prepare, set up a thing for any purpose; to dedicate, consecrate it to any object: equi (sc. Bucephalae) memoriae ac nomini dedicans urbem, Curt. 9, 3 fin. : qui proprie libros huic operi dedicaverunt, Quint. 9, 3, 89; 12, 10, 50; Suet. Tib. 70: Parrhasii tabulam ... in cubiculo dedicavit, id. ib. 44: testamentum, to establish , Vulg. Hebr. 9, 18.—
c To dedicate, consecrate, devote a thing to its future use: domum, Suet. Ner. 31: theatrum, id. Aug. 43; cf. id. Vesp. 19: amphitheatrum, id. Tit. 7: thermas atque gymnasium, id. Ner. 12.—
B Law t. t., to specify one's property in the census (rare): tu in uno scorto majorem pecuniam absumsisti, quam quanti omne instrumentum fundi Sabini in censum dedicavisti, P. Afric. ap. Gell. 7, 11, 9; cf.: at haec praedia in censu (al. censum) dedicavisti? ... Illud quaero sintne ista praedia censui censendo? Cic. Flac. 32, 79: omnes in censu villas inde dedicamus aedes, Varr. L. L. 5, § 160 Müll. (dub.).