To stick firmly to something; to follow or keep to a rule, belief, or practice faithfully. It can mean both physical attachment and loyal commitment to principles.
From Latin 'adhaerere' meaning 'to stick to,' formed from 'ad-' (to) and 'haerere' (to stick). The metaphorical sense of sticking to principles developed alongside the literal sense of physical attachment.
Adhere works both literally and figuratively—tape adheres to paper, but people adhere to principles! The beautiful thing is that both meanings suggest the same quality: once something truly adheres, it's very hard to separate.
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