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to stay attached; stick fast; cleave; cling (usually followed by to):
the mud adhered to his shoes.
physics. (of two or more dissimilar substances) to be united by a molecular force acting in the area of contact.
to be devoted in support or allegiance; be attached as a follower or upholder (usually followed by to):
to adhere to a party.
to hold closely or firmly (usually followed by to):
to adhere to a plan.
obsolete. to be consistent.
to cause to adhere; make stick:
glue will adhere the tiles to the wallboard.
contemporary examples

to be sure, the trade-off for adhering to chinese restrictions is a lucrative market of professionals.
linkedin accidently censors tiananmen square content tim mak june 2, 2014

what could audiences possibly gain from watching hollywood personnel go through the motions of adhering to an asian precursor?
what asian film remakes like ‘oldboy’ get wrong jimmy so november 25, 2013

over the past few years hamas has maintained a policy of adhering to calm and ceasefire when there are no attacks from israel.
war and elections gershon baskin november 1, 2012

adhering to the scientific method, we ran through all the standard positions one at a time: missionary, doggy style, girl on top.
does s-xercise work? meghan pleticha may 25, 2010

they were adhering to a code of silence that had seemingly been reinforced by the inst-tution.
rutgers athletes stay silent on mike rice lizzie crocker april 3, 2013

historical examples

bromus sterilis l. floral glume minutely roughened, adhering to the grain; 5–7 nerved; 11–15 mm.
seeds of michigan weeds w. j. (william james) beal

it will be noticed that captain eri was adhering strictly to the truth.
cap’n eri joseph crosby lincoln

self-interest, which it is the fashion among christians to decry in words, while adhering to it strictly in action.
the surprises of life georges clemenceau

adhering to the faith of the quakers, he could not but shudder at the horrors of that war.
the journal of negro history, volume 2, 1917 various

it was another of his principles, and caleb had a deserved reputation for adhering to principle and being “sot” in his ways.
thankful’s inheritance joseph c. lincoln

verb (intransitive)
(usually foll by to) to stick or hold fast
(foll by to) to be devoted (to a political party, cause, religion, etc); be a follower (of)
(foll by to) to follow closely or exactly: adhere to the rules
v.

1590s, from middle french adhérer (15c.) or directly from latin adhaerare “to stick to” (see adherent). originally often of persons, “to cleave to a leader, cause, party, etc.” (cf. adherent, still often used in this sense). related: adhered; adhering.