adopt, follow, espouse: choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans; "She followed the feminist movement"; "The candidate espouses Republican ideals" adopt, borrow, take_over, take_up: take up and practice as one's own assume, adopt, take_on, take_over: take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities; "When will the new President assume office?" 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" adopt, take_in: take into one's family; "They adopted two children from Nicaragua" dramatize, dramatise, adopt: put into dramatic form; "adopt a book for a screenplay" espouse, embrace, adopt, sweep_up: take up the cause, ideology, practice, method, of someone and use it as one's own; "She embraced Catholocism"; "They adopted the Jewish faith"