Lewis & Short

vŏvĕo, vōvi, vōtum, 2, v. a. and n. [etym. dub.], to vow, i. e. to promise solemnly or sacredly; to devote, dedicate, consecrate something to a deity (syn.: promitto, recipio, dico, dedico).

  1. I. Lit.: neque Herculi quisquam decumam vovit umquam, Cic. N. D. 3, 36, 88: sua capita pro salute patriae, id. Fin. 5, 22, 64: Tullus in re trepidā decem vovit Salios fanaque Pallori ac Pavori, Liv. 1, 27, 7: tibi hinc decimam partem praedae voveo, id. 5, 21, 2: templum Junoni, id. 5, 22, 7: vota vovere, Plaut. Am. 3, 2, 66: vota puer solvit, quae femina voverat, Ov. M. 9, 794: votum pro militibus, Liv. 23, 19, 28.
    With acc. and inf.: cum sues puer pasceret, unā ex iis amissā vovisse dicitur, si recuperavisset, uvam se deo daturum, quae maxima esset in vineā, Cic. Div. 1, 17, 31; cf. id. Verr. 2, 4, 55, § 123; id. Inv. 2, 31, 95: aut pro victimis homines immolant aut se immolaturos vovent, Caes. B. G. 6, 16: me inferre Veneri vovi jam jentaculum, Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 72: dictator ludos magnos vovit Vejis captis se facturum, Liv. 5, 19, 6: ludos donaque facturum vovit, id. 31, 9, 10; 42, 28, 9.
    With ut and subj., Just. 21, 3, 2.
    Part. perf.: at earum templa sunt publice vota et dedicata, Cic. N. D. 3, 17, 43: ludi, Liv. 4, 12, 2: pro reditu victima, Ov. Am. 2, 11, 46: Tyrrheno vindemia regi (Mezentio), i. e. solemnly promised, id. F. 4, 893.
    Absol.: manus leviter pandata, qualis voventium est, Quint. 11, 3, 100.
  2. II. Transf. (from the wish implied in every vow), to wish, wish for a thing (in the verb. finit. rare, and only poet.; syn. opto): elige, quid voveas, Ov. M. 12, 200: quae modo voverat, odit, id. ib. 11, 128: quid voveat dulci nutricula majus alumno? Hor. Ep. 1, 4, 8.
    With ut: ut tua sim voveo, Ov. M. 14, 35: quae voveam, duo sunt: minimo ut relevere labore, etc., id. ib. 9, 675.