The verb adopt has 7 senses (first 5 from tagged texts)
1. (37) adopt, follow, espouse -- (choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans; "She followed the feminist movement"; "The candidate espouses Republican ideals")
2. (6) adopt, borrow, take over, take up -- (take up and practice as one's own)
3. (2) assume, adopt, take on, take over -- (take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities; "When will the new President assume office?")
4. (2) assume, acquire, adopt, take on, take -- (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")
5. (2) adopt, take in -- (take into one's family; "They adopted two children from Nicaragua")
6. dramatize, dramatise, adopt -- (put into dramatic form; "adopt a book for a screenplay")
7. espouse, embrace, adopt, sweep up -- (take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own; "She embraced Catholicism"; "They adopted the Jewish faith")