Definition

1. Verb:
   • To carry out or perpetrate: To do something, especially something illegal, wrong, or harmful.
   • To pledge or bind to a certain course or policy: To dedicate oneself or resources to a specific person, activity, or cause.
   • To consign or entrust for safekeeping or treatment: To give over to another's care, charge, or custody.
   • To place officially in confinement: To send or assign to an institution, such as a prison or hospital.

Usage Examples

• To perpetrate an act:
  • He was afraid to commit a crime.
  • The group committed an act of vandalism.
• To pledge or dedicate:
  • She decided to commit herself fully to her studies.
  • The company committed significant funds to the project.
• To entrust or consign:
  • I commit this letter to your care.
  • The artist committed his sketches to the museum's archive.
• To place in confinement:
  • The judge had to commit the defendant to prison.
  • After the crisis, they had to commit him to a psychiatric hospital.

Advanced Usage

• "Commit to memory": To memorize something.
  • Students must commit these formulas to memory.
• "Commit to paper/writing": To write something down to make it official or permanent.
  • He finally committed his ideas to paper.
• "Commit oneself": To make a firm decision or promise to do something.
  • You must commit yourself if you want to succeed.

Variants and Related Words

• Commitment (n): The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.; an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.
  • She showed great commitment to her team.
• Committed (adj): Dedicated to a cause, activity, or relationship.
  • He is a committed environmentalist.
• Commission (n/v): While related in the sense of entrusting a task, "commission" typically refers to authorizing or ordering the production of something or a group given official authority.
  • The city commissioned a new statue.
• Committee (n): A group of people appointed for a specific function, stemming from the idea of being entrusted with a task.
  • The planning committee will review the proposal.

Synonyms

• Perpetrate: Carry out or commit (a harmful, illegal, or immoral action).
• Dedicate: Devote (time, effort, or oneself) to a particular task or purpose.
• Entrust: Assign the responsibility for doing something to (someone).
• Consign: Deliver (something) to a person's keeping.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Commit to: To make a firm decision or promise to do something or to support someone/something.
  • They committed to finishing the work on time.
• Commit oneself to: To pledge or bind oneself to a person, cause, or course of action.
  • He committed himself to a life of public service.

Related Idioms

• Commit to the deep: (Archaic) To bury a body at sea.
• Commit hara-kiri: (Figurative) To cause one's own ruin, especially in a political or professional context.
  • By opposing the popular policy, the senator committed political hara-kiri.

Verb

1. engage in or perform
   • practice safe sex
   • commit a random act of kindness
2. make an investment
   • Put money into bonds
3. confer a trust upon
   • The messenger was entrusted with the general's secret
   • I commit my soul to God
4. cause to be admitted; of persons to an institution
   • After the second episode, she had to be committed
   • he was committed to prison
5. give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
   • She committed herself to the work of God
   • give one's talents to a good cause
   • consecrate your life to the church
6. perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
   • perpetrate a crime
   • pull a bank robbery