nurse

[nurs]

noun

1. a person formally educated and trained in the care of the sick or infirm.

2. a woman who has the general care of a child or children; dry nurse.

3. a woman employed to suckle an infant; wet nurse.

4. any fostering agency or influence.

5. Entomology.,  a worker that attends the young in a colony of social insects.

6. Billiards.,  the act of maintaining the position of billiard balls in preparation for a carom.

verb (used with object)

nursed, nursing 

1. to tend or minister to in sickness, infirmity, etc.

   Antonyms: neglect

2. to try to cure (an ailment) by taking care of oneself.

   to nurse a cold.

3. to look after carefully so as to promote growth, development, etc.; foster; cherish.

   to nurse one's meager talents.

   Synonyms: back, aid, help, abet, encourage
   Antonyms: neglect

4. to treat or handle with adroit care in order to further one's own interests.

   to nurse one's nest egg.

5. to use, consume, or dispense very slowly or carefully.

   He nursed the one drink all evening.

6. to keep steadily in mind or memory.

   He nursed a grudge against me all the rest of his life.

7. to suckle (an infant).

8. to feed and tend in infancy.

   Synonyms: raise, rear

9. to bring up, train, or nurture.

10. to clasp or handle carefully or fondly.

    to nurse a plate of food on one's lap.

11. Billiards.,  to maintain the position of (billiard balls) for a series of caroms.

verb (used without object)

nursed, nursing 

1. to suckle a child, especially one's own.

2. (of a child) to suckle.

   The child did not nurse after he was three months old.

3. to act as nurse; tend the sick or infirm.

nurse

/ nɜːs /

noun

1. a person who tends the sick, injured, or infirm

2. short for nursemaid

3. a woman employed to breast-feed another woman's child; wet nurse

4. a worker in a colony of social insects that takes care of the larvae

verb

1. (also intr) to tend (the sick)

2. (also intr) to feed (a baby) at the breast; suckle

3. to try to cure (an ailment)

4. to clasp carefully or fondly

   she nursed the crying child in her arms

5. (also intr) (of a baby) to suckle at the breast (of)

6. to look after (a child) as one's employment

7. to attend to carefully; foster, cherish

   he nursed the magazine through its first year

   having a very small majority he nursed the constituency diligently

8. to harbour; preserve

   to nurse a grudge

9. billiards to keep (the balls) together for a series of cannons

Other Word Forms

• nonnursing adjective
• overnurse verb (used with object)
• undernurse noun
• well-nursed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nurse¹

First recorded before 1350–1400; (noun) Middle English, variant of n(o)urice, norice, from Old French, from Late Latin nūtrīcia, noun use of feminine of Latin nūtrīcius nutritious; (verb) earlier nursh (reduced form of nourish ), assimilated to the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nurse¹

C16: from earlier norice, Old French nourice, from Late Latin nūtrīcia nurse, from Latin nūtrīcius nourishing, from nūtrīre to nourish

Synonym Study

Nurse, nourish, nurture may be used almost interchangeably to refer to bringing up the young. Nurse, however, suggests attendance and service; nourish emphasizes providing whatever is needful for development; and nurture suggests tenderness and solicitude in training mind and manners.

Example Sentences

“Tell him there’s a nursing shortage and we need him to fix the health care system.”

From Salon

"It's a huge problem and many healthcare professionals don't consider it a serious issue in children," said Davina Richardson, a children's specialist nurse with the charity.

From BBC

A nurse who was suspended after an exchange with a trans doctor in a female changing room has raised a new legal claim against NHS Fife.

From BBC

An obstetrician, pediatrician and a nurse who were nearby, also attending the festival, responded to the cries for help and assisted with the delivery and care of the newborn.

From Los Angeles Times

When I went to visit him, he would be desperate for help – even after I went to tell the nurses, they would often do nothing, other times they would offer him paracetamol.

From BBC

Related Words

• cradle 
• feed 
• keep an eye on 
• look after 
• nourish 
• take care of 
• vaccinate 

When To Use

What does nurse mean?

A nurse is someone who has been formally trained and educated to tend to the sick and infirm, as in The nurse double-checked the dosage of drugs the cancer patient was receiving. Related to this sense, nurse can be used to mean to tend to a person who is sick, infirm, or injured, as in The father nursed his daughter while she was sick with chickenpox. Nurse can also mean to take care of oneself to try to cure something, as in Jonah was nursing a cold last week. Nurse is also used to mean to breast-feed a baby, as in The mother cat nursed her litter of kittens.  And nurse can mean to look after something carefully or to cherish something, as in Pat nursed her new company through the recession. Example: My brother went to school to be a nurse and is now working at the local hospital.