adopt

v. form a relationship with another person (as in to take a child as one's own); choose to make one's own (of an idea, name, etc.)

Adoption is the legal act of permanently placing a child with a parent or parents other than the birth mother or father. An adoption order has the effect of severing the parental responsibilities and rights of the birth parents and transferring those responsibilities and rights onto the adoptive parent(s). After the finalization of an adoption, there is no legal difference between adopted children and those born to the parents. There are several kinds of adoption, which can be defined both by effect (e.g., whether the adoption is open or closed, see below) and by location and the origin of the child (i.e., domestic or international adoption).
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Verb
1. choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans; "She followed the feminist movement"; "The candidate espouses Republican ideals"
(synonym) follow, espouse
(hypernym) choose, take, select, pick out
(hyponym) adhere, stick
(verb-group) comply, follow, abide by
(derivation) adoption, acceptance, acceptation, espousal
2. take up and practice as one's own
(synonym) borrow, take over, take up
(hypernym) accept, take, have
(derivation) borrowing, adoption
3. take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities; "When will the new President assume office?"
(synonym) assume, take on, take over
(hypernym) take office
(hyponym) resume
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"
(synonym) assume, acquire, take on, take
(hypernym) change
(hyponym) re-assume
5. take into one's family; "They adopted two children from Nicaragua"
(synonym) take in
(hypernym) take
(derivation) adoptee
6. put into dramatic form; "adopt a book for a screenplay"
(synonym) dramatize, dramatise
(hypernym) write, compose, pen, indite
(classification) writing, authorship, composition, penning
7. take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own; "She embraced Catholocism"; "They adopted the Jewish faith"
(synonym) espouse, embrace, sweep up
(hypernym) accept
(hyponym) take up, latch on, fasten on, hook on, seize on
(derivation) borrowing, adoption

(v. t.)
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.
  

(v. t.)
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.
  

verb
to become the legal parent of a child who was born to other parents