Adopt Definition

[v] take into one's family; "They adopted two children from Nicaragua"
[v] take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect; "His voice took on a sad tone"; "The story took a new turn"; "he adopted an air of superiority"; "She assumed strange manners"; "The gods assume human or animal form in these fables"
[v] take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own; "She embraced Catholocism"; "They adopted the Jewish faith"
[v] put into dramatic form; "adopt a book for a screenplay"
[v] take up and practice as one's own
[v] choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans; "She followed the feminist movement"; "The candidate espouses Republican ideals"
[v] take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities; "When will the new President assume office?"

Synonyms

acquire, assume, assume, borrow, dramatise, dramatize, embrace, espouse, espouse, follow, sweep up, take in, take on, take on, take over, take over, take up

See Also...

accept, accept, adhere, change, choose, compose, fasten on, have, hook on, indite, latch on, pen, pick out, re-assume, resume, seize on, select, take, take, take office, take up, write

Related Terms

accept, acculturate, acculturize, admit, affect, affiliate, Americanize, Anglicize, appropriate, approve, arrogate, assimilate, assume, carry, colonize, confer citizenship, conquer, copy, derive from, domesticate, embrace, encroach, enslave, espouse, go i

Misc. Definitions

\A*dopt"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Adopted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Adopting}.] [L. adoptare; ad + optare to choose, desire: cf. F. adopter. See {Option}.]
1. To take by choice into relationship, as, child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.; esp. to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) to be in the place of, or as, one's own child.
2. To take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally; to select and take or approve; as, to adopt the view or policy of another; these resolutions were adopted.