adopt

present singular third person adopts · participle present adopting · participle past adopted · past adopted · first person past singular adopted · archaic present second person singular adoptest · past second person singular adopted · archaic past second person singular adoptedst · present singular third person adopts · archaic present singular third person adopteth · past singular third person adopted · past plural adopted · past subjunctive adopted · participle present adopting · participle past adopted

1. To take (a child, heir, friend, citizen, etc.) by choice into a relationship.
   1. transitiveTo 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. transitiveTo obtain (a pet) from a shelter or the wild.

      We're going to adopt a Dalmatian.

   3. transitiveTo contribute towards the upkeep of (a child or animal), in exchange for occasional stories, pictures, etc.

      We adopted an elephant at the local zoo.

   4. transitiveTo 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.

      1 more example

      Sixteen years ago, the station entered into a new chapter when it was adopted by the Friends of Chirk Station (FoCS) volunteer group, under the Arriva Trains Wales Station Adopters programme.

      2020 December 30, Paul Stephen, “Chirk station is truly blooming”, in Rail, page 49

2. transitiveTo 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.

   1 more example

   [S]he [Edwina, mother of Tennessee Williams] was indeed Amanda [Wingfield, character in Williams' play The Glass Menagerie] in the flesh: a doughty chatterbox from Ohio who adopted the manner of a Southern belle and eschewed both drink and sex to the greatest extent possible.

   2014 November 14, Blake Bailey, “'Tennessee Williams,' by John Lahr [print version: Theatrical victory of art over life, International New York Times, 18 November 2014, p. 13]”, in The New York Times

3. transitiveTo select and take or approve.

   to adopt the view or policy of another

   3 more examples

   These are resolutions that were adopted.

   Every society should adopt an order of business adapted to its special wants.

   1876, Henry Martyn Robert, Robert’s Rules of Order, Chicago: S.C. Griggs & Co., Article XIV, Section 71, p. 156

   Having found a property that 'feels' right you then have to adopt a hard-headed attitude and consider the realities of life in a new environment.

   1997, “Buying a Rural Property”, in Back to Basics, Surry Hills, NSW: Reader's Digest (Australia) Pty Limited, page 10

   Synonyms: espouse, embrace

4. slangtransitiveboard gamesTo beat an opponent ten times in a row.

   The match was not even close; the IM made amateurish blunders and ended up getting adopted.

   4 more examples

   Nakamura 'Adopts' Komodo On Fathers Day: 20.5-2.5

   2018 June 19, Peter Doggers, “(title)”, in Chess.com, archived from the original on 21 May 2022

   Wednesday's event will offer the Russian grandmaster three opportunities to adopt Rensch, though just like in the Speed Chess Championship, Nepomniachtchi will have to race against the clock.

   2020 May 27, “Adopt-A-Danny Returns Wednesday With Ian Nepomniachtchi”, in Chess.com, archived from the original on 27 May 2020

   "That's it, that's it!" the Grandmaster Eric Hansen bellowed after following nine straight losses with a win. "You are not adopting me! Not today, not today!"

   2022 April 12, Jacob Sweet, “The Most Popular Chess Streamer on Twitch”, in The New Yorker, archived from the original on 26 Aug 2022

   There was wasn't much for Gukesh fans to cheer, but at least he avoided the fate of Maghsoodloo, who was "adopted", i.e. beaten 10 games in a row. Gukesh struck in the 2nd 3+1 game, when he was dangerously close to that mark.

   2022 December 7, Colin McGourty, “Carlsen plays "horribly", beats Gukesh 23:7”, in chess24, archived from the original on 09 Dec 2022

plural adopts

1. abbreviationclippinginformaltransitiveartClipping of adoptable.