term:

Adopt

adopt vt

1 : to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) as one's own child esp. in compliance with formal legal procedures see also equitable adoption
2 : to take or accept as if one's own [[the company] ed the signature on the financing statement "Barber-Greene Co. v. Nat'l City Bank of Minneapolis, 816 F.2d 1267 (1987)"]
3 : to accept formally and put into effect [ a constitutional amendment]
adopt·able [ə-dÄ p-tə-bəl]
adj

adopt·abil·i·ty [ə-dÄ p-tə-bi-lə-tē]
adv

adop·tion [ə-dÄ p-shən]
n

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.