1577 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. Epist. Ephesians ii. f. 12^v The verie originall cause of his adopting of vs [Fr. estre adoptez de luy], is for that he had predestinated vs before hand.

1605 tr. J. Bignon Briefe Treat. Election Popes ii. sig. B3 The Cardinalles reassemble together in the same place,..to prouide, for the preparation & adopting of that which is necessarie for the holding of Conclaue.

1675 S. Clark Lives & Deaths Eminent Persons 220 Caesars Testament being opened, wherein (besides the adopting of his Nephew Octavius, and making him his Heir)..he bequeathed to the People of Rome, certain Gardens.

1720 Bibliotheca Biblica I. (Gen. xlviii.) 929 That Promise cou'd not be be fulfill'd in its utmost meaning without the Adopting of the Gentiles into the Body of the Church.

1755 Connoisseur No. 83 (1774) 87 Since genius is the chief requisite in all kinds of poetry, nothing can be more contrary to the very essence of it, than the adopting as beauties, certain arts, which are merely mechanical.

1832 J. P. Kennedy Swallow Barn I. v. 54 He carefully looked back upon the whole train of this fancy, with all the motives..which had a hand in the adopting and pursuing of it.

1861 ‘G. Eliot’ Silas Marner xvii. 313 That was the only adopting I ever heard of: and the child was transported when it was twenty-three.

1928 Times 19 Dec. 8/2 The adopting of a school is a matter of great excitement and interest to the girls here.

1964 J. M. Major Sir Thomas Elyot & Renaissance Humanism ii. iii. 138 His network of informers, and his adopting of other features of a police state, makes slightly unpleasant reading for moderns.

2000 L. Varon Adopting on your Own iii. 54 What if he or she questions your ability to raise a child on your own, or suggests that adopting is a substitute for pursuing a relationship?

1598 H. Clapham Syn against Holy Ghoste sig. Aiv^v Grace Mercie and peace be multiplied from God the father, through the Mediation of Ie. Chr. his Son, by the instillation of his adopting spirit into theyr spirits.

1658 R. Baxter Of Justif. i. 35 This one faith may be denominated (importing only the Interest of a condition) a justifying faith, a sanctifying faith, an Adopting faith.

1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. May (1965) I. 410 The adopting Fathers are generally very tender to these children.

1788 W. Thomson Mem. Late War Asia II. 146 The young ones that are adopted,..obedient to the nod of the adopting parent, are embraced with all that affection which is usually shewn to real children.

1828 W. T. Moncrieff Somnambulist i. i. 12 Nothing now remains but to sign the contract. Dame Michaud, as the adopting mother.., you will sign first.

1876 T. Le M. Douse Grimm's Law §34. 71 Minute phonetic twists in the several adopting dialects..might still wrench the sound on to widely divergent lines of debilitation.

1915 C. A. Beard Econ. Origins Jeffersonian Democracy i. 1 In some of the adopting states a majority of the people were in the opposition.

1955 Times 25 June 11/12 It was usual for the natural parent not to know the names of the prospective adopting parents.

2003 S. McCulloch Your New Dog 248 The adopting family will provide a fenced yard for a rescue Collie.