adhere

/ad-ˈhir/

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French adhérer, going back to Old French ahérer, borrowed from Latin adhaerēre "to cling, stick (to), attach oneself, keep close (to a person)," from ad- ad-haerēre "to be closely attached, stick"

verb

  1. to hold fast or stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or fusing

  2. to give support or maintain loyalty

  3. to bind oneself to observance

The stamp failed to adhere to the envelope.

stick adhere cohere cling cleave mean to become closely attached. stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together. adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together.

phrasal verb

  1. to act in the way that is required by (something, such as a rule, belief, or promise)

They will adhere to the terms of the contract.