frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

Colloq buff, fiend, US hound; Slang bug, nut, freak, US head,
junkie, groupie: The band was followed about on tour by scores
of screaming devotees of rock music.
devotion n. 1 devotedness, devoutness, reverence; earnestness,
religiousness, piety, religiosity, pietism, godliness, holiness,
spirituality, sanctity; worship, prayer, observance, ritual:
The sect was noted for its devotion to martyrs and their relics.
It is gratifying to see such devotion amongst the younger
members of the congregation. They interrupted the holy man at
his devotions. 2 dedication, consecration, attachment, loyalty,
devotedness: His devotion to duty will be remembered by his
fellow soldiers. 3 zeal, ardour, fervour, ardency, intensity,
fanaticism, eagerness, enthusiasm, earnestness, readiness,
willingness; love, passion, infatuation, fondness, affection,
attachment, adherence, loyalty, allegiance: They would dedicate
themselves with slavish devotion to some brutal master.
devour v. 1 wolf (down), gulp (down), bolt, swallow (up), gorge,
gobble (up), gormandize, cram, stuff, eat (up) greedily, Archaic
gluttonize; Colloq Brit pig, US and Canadian pig out (on): He
was so hungry when he came in that he devoured two whole pies
and a plate of chips. 2 consume, waste, destroy, wipe out,
ravage, annihilate, demolish, ruin, wreak havoc (up)on,
devastate, obliterate, eradicate: A quarter of Europe was
already devoured by the plague. 3 relish, revel in, absorb, be
absorbed by; engulf, consume, drink in, eat up, swallow up, take
in; swamp, overcome, overwhelm: He eagerly devoured all of
Dickens's novels. The sea devoured its victims silently.
devout adj. 1 devoted, pious, religious, reverent, worshipful,
faithful, dedicated, staunch, churchgoing; holy, godly, saintly,
pure: When I last saw him, he had become a devout Christian. 2
devotional, reverential, religious, solemn: Through devout
prayer one might see the kingdom of heaven. 3 earnest, sincere,
genuine, hearty, heartfelt, devoted, ardent, zealous: You have
my devout best wishes for your happiness.
dexterity n. 1 touch, nimbleness, adroitness, deftness, facility, knack,
skill, proficiency; sleight of hand: Much fine rug-weaving is
done by little children because of the dexterity of their small
fingers. 2 cleverness, ingenuity, ingeniousness, tact,
astuteness, keenness, sharpness, shrewdness, cunning, guile,