coopt: Meaning and Definition of

co•opt

Pronunciation: (kō-opt'), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to elect into a body by the votes of the existing members.
  2. to assimilate, take, or win over into a larger or established group: The fledgling Labor party was coopted by the Socialist party.
  3. to appropriate as one's own; preempt: The dissidents have coopted the title of her novel for their slogan.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.