adapt (something) to (something)

adapt (something) to (something)

1. proverb To become familiar or comfortable with something. When used in this way, the phrase does not take a noun or pronoun between "adapt" and "to." When Fran moved to China, she struggled to adapt to her new surroundings. I've been spending a lot of time at home as our new puppy adapts to life with our family.

2. To modify or adjust something to fit or work properly with something else. Brian had to buy special cables so that he could adapt his old VCR his new TV. Whoa, you're adapting the house to central air conditioning? Nice! Your computer's so old that I'm afraid there's no way to adapt it to the latest operating system.

See also: adapt, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

adapt something to something

to convert something to fit or work with something else. We converted our furnace to natural gas.

See also: adapt, to

adapt to something

to adapt or get used to someone or something. Please try to adapt to our routine.

See also: adapt, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

adapt to

v.

1. To alter something so that it is better suited to something else: The immigrants adapted their recipes to the ingredients that were available in their new country.

2. To change in order to be better suited to something: At first, I didn't like the new school, but I quickly adapted to the way things were done there and was soon very happy.

See also: adapt, to

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.