dēvōtĭo — Lewis & Short
dēvōtĭo, ōnis, f.devoveo.
I A devoting, consecrating.
A Prop.:
Deciorum devotiones,the devoting of themselves, Cic. N. D. 3, 6, 15; cf.
vitae,id. Rab. Post. 1 fin.;
capitis,id. Dom. 57; a vow, Vulg. Act. 23, 1. —
B Transf., fealty, allegiance, devotedness (late Lat.):
alicujus erga rempublicam, Treb. Poll. Gall. 14: Aquileiensium pro Romanis, Capitol. Maxim. et Balb. 11: quis fortes animat devotio mentes,Nemes. Cyneg. 83 al.—Hence,
2 (Cf. devotus, P. a. no. B.) In Christian authors, piety, devotion, zeal, Lact. 2, 11 med.:
inutilis est Deo qui devotione caret,id. 5, 19, 13; cf.
coupled with religio,Lampr. Heliog. 3.—
II A cursing, curse, imprecation, execration, Nep. Alcib. 4, 5:
pilae in quibus devotio fuerit scripta,id. ib. 6, 5:
dissimulata nauseantis devotione,Petr. 103, 6; v. also Macr. Sat. 3, 9.—
III Sorcery, enchantment; and concr., a magical formula, incantation, spell, Suet. Calig. 3:
carmina et devotiones,id. ib.; Tac. A. 2, 69:
devotionibus et veneno peremisse,id. ib. 3, 13;
4, 52: conjugium (i. e. conjugem) principis devotionibus petere,id. ib. 12, 65 al.—
B Transf., any form of prayer: devotiones faustae, Ap. M. 11, p. 265, 5.