commit
Americanverb (used with object)
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to do; perform; perpetrate.
to commit murder; to commit an error.
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to pledge (oneself ) to a position on an issue or question; express (one's intention, feeling, etc.).
Asked if he was a candidate, he refused to commit himself.
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to bind or obligate, as by pledge or assurance; pledge.
to commit oneself to a promise; to be committed to a course of action.
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to consign for preservation.
to commit ideas to writing; to commit a poem to memory.
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to give in trust or charge, especially for safekeeping; consign; commend: Every summer we were committed to babysitters and camp counselors.
to commit one's soul to God;
Every summer we were committed to babysitters and camp counselors.
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to consign to custody.
to commit a delinquent to a juvenile detention center.
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to place in a mental institution or hospital by or as if by legal authority.
He was committed by court order on the recommendation of two psychiatrists.
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to deliver for treatment, disposal, etc.; relegate.
to commit a manuscript to the flames.
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to send into a battle.
The commander has committed all his troops to the front lines.
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Parliamentary Procedure. to refer (a bill or the like) to a committee for consideration.
verb (used without object)
idioms
verb
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to hand over, as for safekeeping; charge; entrust
to commit a child to the care of its aunt
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to learn by heart; memorize
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to confine officially or take into custody
to commit someone to prison
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(usually passive) to pledge or align (oneself), as to a particular cause, action, or attitude
a committed radical
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to order (forces) into action
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to perform (a crime, error, etc); do; perpetrate
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to surrender, esp for destruction
she committed the letter to the fire
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to refer (a bill, etc) to a committee of a legislature
Other Word Forms
- committable adjective
- committer noun
- noncommitted adjective
- precommit verb (used with object)
- uncommit verb
Etymology
Origin of commit
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English committen, from Anglo-French committer or directly from Latin committere, equivalent to com- “with, together, completely” + mittere “to send, give over”; com-
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Blair, a former lawyer who was preparing for a looming general election, was minded to wait and see what Lord Cullen's report found before committing to action.
From BBC
On Asia, he said the U.S. was committed to denying aggression along the first island chain, which includes Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines.
For now, that psychological shock is likely to push those countries closer to the U.S. for for security cooperation and reassurance, so long as the U.S. remains committed to the region, said Dreazen.
The England youth international has committed his future to the Gunners and signed a pre-contract agreement with the club in January.
From BBC
It’s a fun way to try some of the pricier gadgets without committing to buying — or cleaning — one yourself.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
