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foster

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fos⋅ter

[faw-ster, fos-ter]
–verb (used with object)
1. to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage: to foster new ideas.
2. to bring up, raise, or rear, as a foster child.
3. to care for or cherish.
4. British. to place (a child) in a foster home.
5. Obsolete. to feed or nourish.

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; OE fōstor nourishment, fōstrian to nourish; c. ON fōstr; akin to food


fos⋅ter⋅er, noun
fos⋅ter⋅ing⋅ly, adverb


1. favor, forward, advance; foment, instigate. 2. nurse, nourish, sustain, support, maintain. 3. See cherish.


1. discourage.
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Fos⋅ter

[faw-ster, fos-ter]
–noun
1. Stephen (Collins), 1826–64, U.S. songwriter.
2. William Z(eb⋅u⋅lon) [zeb-yuh-luhn] , 1881–1961, U.S. labor organizer: leader in the Communist party.
3. a male given name.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To foster
fos·ter   (fô'stər, fŏs'tər)   
tr.v.   fos·tered, fos·ter·ing, fos·ters
  1. To bring up; nurture: bear and foster offspring. See Synonyms at nurture.

  2. To promote the growth and development of; cultivate: detect and foster artistic talent. See Synonyms at advance.

  3. To nurse; cherish: foster a secret hope.

adj.  
  1. Providing parental care and nurture to children not related through legal or blood ties: foster parents; foster grandparents; a foster home.

  2. Receiving parental care and nurture from those not related to one through legal or blood ties: foster children.


[Middle English fostren, from Old English *fōstrian, to nourish, from fōstor, food, nourishing; see pā- in Indo-European roots.]
Fos·ter   (fô'stər, fŏs'tər)   
American songwriter whose popular works, such as "Oh! Susannah" (1848) and "Old Folks at Home" (1851), reflect the sentiment of pre-Civil War America.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

foster  (v.)
O.E. *fostrian "to supply with food, nourish, support," from fostor "food, nourishment, bringing up," from P.Gmc. *fostrom, from root *foth-/*fod- (see food). Meaning "to bring up a child with parental care" is from c.1205; that of "to encourage or help grow" is c.1225 of things; 1570 of feelings, ideas, etc. O.E. also had the adj. meaning "in the same family but not related," in fostorfæder, etc.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: fos·ter
Function: adjective
: affording, receiving, or sharing nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal relationships foster child> foster parent>

Main Entry: foster
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: fos·tered; fos·ter·ing
: to give parental care to
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