English
adopt
Pronunciation
  • (GA) IPA: /əˈdɑpt/
  • (RP) IPA: /əˈdɒpt/
Verb

adopt (adopts, present participle adopting; past and past participle adopted)

  1. (transitive) To take by choice into relationship (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.)
    1. (transitive) To take voluntarily (a child of other parents) to be in the place of, or as, one's own child.
      A friend of mine recently adopted a Chinese baby girl found on the streets of Beijing.
    2. (transitive) To obtain (a pet) from a shelter or the wild.
      We're going to adopt a Dalmatian.
    3. (transitive) To take by choice into the scope of one's responsibility.
      This supermarket chain adopts several families every Yuletide, providing them with money and groceries for the holidays.
  2. (transitive) To take or receive as one's own what is not so naturally.
    He adopted a new look in order to fit in with his new workmates.
  3. (transitive) To select and take or approve.
    to adopt the view or policy of another
    These resolutions were adopted.
    • 1876, Henry Martyn Robert, Robert’s Rules of Order, Chicago: S.C. Griggs & Co., Article XIV, Section 71, p. 156,
      Every society should adopt an order of business adapted to its special wants.
  4. (transitive, informal, jocular, chess) to win ten consecutive games against an opponent
Related terms Translations Translations

This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.004
Offline English dictionary