adhere

Universal Words verb [V] ~ (to sth) (formal) to stick firmly to sth: Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria adhere to the surface of the red cells. * Clean the surface first, or the paint will not adhere. * There was oil adhering to the bird's feathers. PHRASALVERBS adhere to sth (formal) to behave according to a particular law, rule, set of instructions, etc.; to follow a particular set of beliefs or a fixed way of doing sth: For ten months he adhered to a strict no-fat low-salt diet. * She adheres to teaching methods she learned over 30 years ago. * Staff should adhere strictly to the safety guidelines. * The diet will work if it is adhered to.