adopt (v.)

  1. choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans; She followed the feminist movement; The candidate espouses Republican ideals

    [ Syn: follow , espouse ]

  2. take up and practice as ones own

    [ Syn: borrow , take over , take up ]

  3. take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities; When will the new President assume office?

    [ Syn: assume , take on , take over ]

  4. 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

    [ Syn: assume , acquire , take on , take ]

  5. take into ones family; They adopted two children from Nicaragua

    [ Syn: take in ]

  6. put into dramatic form; adopt a book for a screenplay

    [ Syn: dramatize , dramatise ]

  7. take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as ones own; She embraced Catholicism; They adopted the Jewish faith

    [ Syn: espouse , embrace , sweep up ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.