Adoption, 1) the taking and treating a stranger as a child of one's own: “a. strives with nature,” Alls I, 3, 151 (adopted children are no less loved than those given by nature). “to work her son into the a. of the crown,” Cymb. V, 5, 56 (into the right of an adopted heir to the crown).
2) the receiving or choosing something as one's own: “stand under the a. of abominable terms,” Wiv. II, 2, 309. “those friends thou hast, and their a. tried,” Hml. I, 3, 62.