The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Dedication \Ded`i*ca"tion\, n. [L. dedicatio.]
   1. The act of setting apart or consecrating to a divine
      Being, or to a sacred use, often with religious
      solemnities; solemn appropriation; as, the dedication of
      Solomon's temple.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A devoting or setting aside for any particular purpose;
      as, a dedication of lands to public use.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. An address to a patron or friend, prefixed to a book,
      testifying respect, and often recommending the work to his
      special protection and favor.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

dedication
    n 1: complete and wholehearted fidelity
    2: a ceremony in which something (as a building) is dedicated to
       some goal or purpose
    3: a message that makes a pledge [syn: commitment,
       dedication]
    4: a short message (as in a book or musical work or on a
       photograph) dedicating it to someone or something [syn:
       dedication, inscription]
    5: the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally)
       to a course of action; "his long commitment to public
       service"; "they felt no loyalty to a losing team" [syn:
       commitment, allegiance, loyalty, dedication]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

179 Moby Thesaurus words for "dedication":
   abandon, acknowledgments, address, adherence, allegiance, altruism,
   ardency, ardor, assigned task, assignment, back, back matter,
   bastard title, beatification, beatitude, bibliography, blessedness,
   blessing, bounden duty, burden, business, call of duty,
   canonization, catch line, catchword, charge, colophon, commitment,
   committedness, consecration, constancy, contents, contents page,
   copyright page, decidedness, decision, decisiveness, deference,
   definiteness, determinateness, determination, determinedness,
   devoir, devotedness, devotion, devoutness, disinterest,
   disinterestedness, duties and responsibilities, duty, earnestness,
   endleaf, endpaper, endsheet, enshrinement, errata, ethics,
   exaltation, faith, faithfulness, fastness, fealty, fervency,
   fervidness, fervor, fidelity, fire, firmness, fixedness, flyleaf,
   folio, fore edge, foreword, front matter, glorification, grace,
   half-title page, hallowing, head, heartiness, heat, heatedness,
   homage, humility, impassionedness, imperative, imprint, index,
   inscription, intensity, intentness, introduction, justification,
   justification by works, leaf, line of duty, loyalty, makeup,
   message, mission, modesty, must, obligation, obstinacy, onus,
   ordainment, ordination, ought, page, passion, passionateness,
   perseverance, persistence, place, pledge, preface, preliminaries,
   purification, purpose, purposefulness, recto, relentlessness,
   resoluteness, resolution, resolve, resolvedness, respect, reverso,
   running title, sacrifice, sainthood, sainting, sanctification,
   self-abasement, self-abnegation, self-denial, self-devotion,
   self-effacement, self-forgetfulness, self-immolation,
   self-imposed duty, self-neglect, self-neglectfulness,
   self-renouncement, self-sacrifice, self-subjection, self-will,
   selflessness, seriousness, setting apart, signature, sincerity,
   single-mindedness, spirit, state of grace, staunchness,
   steadfastness, subtitle, table of contents, tail, tenacity, text,
   title, title page, total commitment, tried-and-trueness, triedness,
   trim size, trueness, type page, unacquisitiveness,
   unpossessiveness, unselfishness, vehemence, verso, warmth,
   wholeheartedness, will, zeal



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

DEDICATION. Solemn appropriation. It may be expressed or implied.
     2. An express dedication of property to public use is made by a direct
appropriation of it to such use, and it will be enforced. 2 Peters, R. 566;
6 Hill, N. Y. Rep. 407.
     3. But a dedication of property to public or pious uses may be implied
from the acts of the owner. A permission to the public for the space of
eight or even six years, to use a street without bar or impediment, is
evidence from which a dedication to the public may be inferred. 2 Bouv.
Inst. n. 1631; 11 East, R. 376; 12 Wheat. R. 585; 10 Pet. 662; 2 Watts, 23;
1 Whart. 469; 3 Verm, 279; 6 Verm. 365; 7 Ham. part 2, 135; 12 Wend. 172; 11
Ala. R. 63, 81; 1 Spencer, 86; 8 Miss. R. 448 5 Watts & S. 141; Wright, 150;
6 Hill, 407 24 Pick. 71; 6 Pet. 431, 498 9 Port.,527; 3 Bing. 447; sed vide
5 Taunt. R. 125. Vide Street, and the following authorities: 3 Kent, Com.
450; 5 Taunt. 125 5 Barn. & Ald. 454: 4 Barn. & Ald. 447; Math. Pres. 833.
As to what shall amount to a dedication of an invention to public use, see 1
Gallis. 482; 1 Paine's C. C. R. 345; 2. Pet. R. 1; 7 Pet. R. 292; 4 Mason,
R. 1018. See Destination.