the act of accepting with approval; favorable reception; "its adoption by society"; "the proposal found wide acceptance"
a legal proceeding that creates a parent-child relation between persons not related by blood; the adopted child is entitled to all privileges belonging to a natural child of the adoptive parents (including the right to inherit)
having once lived or existed or taken place in the real world as distinct from being legendary; "the historical Jesus"; "doubt that a historical Camelot every existed"; "actual historical events"
of or relating to the study of history; "historical scholars"; "a historical perspective"
(used informally especially for emphasis); "a real honest-to-god live cowboy"; "had us a high old time"; "went upriver to look at a sure-enough fish wheel"
marked by utter benignity; resembling or befitting an angel or saint; "angelic beneficence"; "a beatific smile"; "a saintly concern for his fellow men"; "my sainted mother"
having a sweet nature befitting an angel or cherub; "an angelic smile"; "a cherubic face"; "looking so seraphic when he slept"; "a sweet disposition"