/ə'dɒpt; ə`dɑpt/
v
1 [Tn, Tn.pr] ~ sb (as sth) take sb into one's family, esp as one's child or heir 收养某人（尤指作为儿女或继承人）; 过继
*Having no children of their own they decided to adopt an orphan. 他们因没有亲生儿女, 所以决定领养一个孤儿.
* Paul's mother had him adopted because she couldn't look after him herself. 保罗的母亲因为自己无力抚养他, 便将他送给别人收养了.
* He is their adopted son. 他是他们的养子. Cf 参看 foster 2.
2 [Tn.pr] ~ sb as sth choose sb as a candidate or representative 挑选某人作候选人或代表
*She has been adopted as Labour candidate for York. 她被提名为约克郡的工党候选人.
3 [Tn] take over and have or use (sth) as one's own 采纳; 采取; 采用
*adopt a name, a custom, an idea, a style of dress 取名, 随俗, 采纳一意见, 采用一服装式样
* adopt a hard line towards terrorists 对恐怖分子采取强硬态度
* her adopted country, ie not her native country but the one in which she has chosen to live 她所选择居留的国家（非其祖国而由其自择居留的国家）.
4 [Tn] accept (eg a report or recommendation); approve 接受, 通过（如报告或建议）; 批准
*Congress has adopted the new measures. 国会通过了新的议案.

v

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1【child】
2 adopt an approach/policy/attitude etc
3【style/manner】
4【law/rule】
5【name/country etc】
6【election】

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[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French;Origin: adopter, from Latin adoptare, from ad- 'to' + optare 'to choose']
【CHILD】 [I and T]
to take someone else's child into your home and legally become its parent
→foster (11)
　Sally was adopted when she was four.
　The couple are unable to have children of their own, but hope to adopt.
adopt an approach/policy/attitude etc [T]
to start to deal with or think about something in a particular way
　The courts were asked to adopt a more flexible approach to young offenders.
　The store recently adopted a drug testing policy for all new employees.
　California has adopted a tough stance on the issue.
【STYLE/MANNER】 [T]
to use a particular style of speaking, writing, or behaving, especially one that you do not usually use
　Kim adopts a southern accent when speaking to family back home.
【LAW/RULE】 [T]
to formally approve a proposal, amendment etc, especially by voting
　Congress finally adopted the law after a two-year debate.
【NAME/COUNTRY ETC】 [T]
to choose a new name, country, custom etc, especially to replace a previous one
　Stevens became a Muslim and adopted the name Yusuf Islam.
　Becoming a member of a society means adopting its values.
【ELECTION】
BrE [T]
to officially choose someone to represent a political party in an election
>adoptern[C]
>adoptee [ə,dɔp'tiː (US) ə,dɑːp-/