Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

2 VERB If you adopt someone else's child, you take it into your own family and make it legally your son or daughter. □ [V n] There are hundreds of people desperate to adopt a child. □ [V -ed] The adopted child has the right to see his birth certificate. [Also V ] ●  adopt|er (adopters ) N‑COUNT □  A social worker is appointed to interview the prospective adopters. ●  adop|tion (adoptions ) N‑VAR □  They gave their babies up for adoption. SYNONYMS adopt VERB

1

take on:Don't take on more responsibilities than you can handle.

embrace:The new rules have been embraced by government watchdog organizations.

assume:He contented himself by assuming an air of superiority.

2

take in:The monastery has taken in 26 refugees.

foster:She has since gone on to find happiness by fostering more than 100 children.

adop|tive /ədɒ pt I v/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] Someone's adoptive family is the family that adopted them. □  He was brought up by adoptive parents in London.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Someone's adoptive country or city is the one that they choose for their home, although they were not born there. □  They threatened to expel him from his adoptive country.

ador|able /ədɔː rəb ^ə l/ ADJ If you say that someone or something is adorable , you are emphasizing that they are very attractive and you feel great affection for them. [EMPHASIS ] □  We have three adorable children.

ado|ra|tion /æ dɔːre I ʃ ^ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Adoration is a feeling of great admiration and love for someone or something. □  He had been used to female adoration all his life.

adore /ədɔː ^r / (adores , adoring , adored )

1 VERB [no cont] If you adore someone, you feel great love and admiration for them. □ [V n] She adored her parents and would do anything to please them.

2 VERB [no cont] If you adore something, you like it very much. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] My mother adores bananas and eats two a day.

ador|ing /ədɔː r I ŋ/ ADJ An adoring person is someone who loves and admires another person very much. □  She can still pull in adoring audiences. ●  ador|ing|ly ADV □  …gazing adoringly at him.

adorn /ədɔː ^r n/ (adorns , adorning , adorned ) VERB If something adorns a place or an object, it makes it look more beautiful. □ [V n] His watercolour designs adorn a wide range of books.

adorn|ment /ədɔː ^r nmənt/ (adornments )

1 N‑VAR An adornment is something that is used to make a person or thing more beautiful. □  It was a building without any adornment or decoration.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Adornment is the process of making something more beautiful by adding something to it. □  Cosmetics are used for adornment.

adrena|lin /ədre nəl I n/ also adrenaline N‑UNCOUNT Adrenalin is a substance which your body produces when you are angry, scared, or excited. It makes your heart beat faster and gives you more energy. □  Seeing the crowd really got my adrenalin pumping.

adrift /ədr I ft/

1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If a boat is adrift , it is floating on the water and is not tied to anything or controlled by anyone. □  They were spotted after three hours adrift in a dinghy.

2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If someone is adrift , they feel alone with no clear idea of what they should do. □  Amy had the growing sense that she was adrift and isolated.

3 ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ after v] If something comes adrift , it is no longer attached to an object that it should be part of. [BRIT ] □ [+ from ] Three insulating panels had come adrift from the base of the vehicle.