Nearby Words

nursed

[nurs] Origin

nurse

[nurs] noun, verb, nursed, nurs·ing.
1.
a person formally educated and trained in the care of the sick or infirm. Compare nurse-midwife, nurse-practitioner, physician's assistant, practical nurse, registered nurse.
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.
EXPAND
6.
Billiards. the act of maintaining the position of billiard balls in preparation for a carom.
COLLAPSE
verb (used with object)
7.
to tend or minister to in sickness, infirmity, etc.
8.
to try to cure (an ailment) by taking care of oneself: to nurse a cold.
9.
to look after carefully so as to promote growth, development, etc.; foster; cherish: to nurse one's meager talents.
10.
to treat or handle with adroit care in order to further one's own interests: to nurse one's nest egg.
11.
to use, consume, or dispense very slowly or carefully: He nursed the one drink all evening.
EXPAND
12.
to keep steadily in mind or memory: He nursed a grudge against me all the rest of his life.
13.
to suckle (an infant).
14.
to feed and tend in infancy.
15.
to bring up, train, or nurture.
16.
to clasp or handle carefully or fondly: to nurse a plate of food on one's lap.
17.
Billiards. to maintain the position of (billiard balls) for a series of caroms.
COLLAPSE

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Nursed is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
verb (used without object)
18.
to suckle a child, especially one's own.
19.
(of a child) to suckle: The child did not nurse after he was three months old.
20.
to act as nurse; tend the sick or infirm.

Origin:
1350–1400; (noun) Middle English, variant of n(o)urice, norice < Old French < Late Latin nūtrīcia, noun use of feminine of Latin nūtrīcius nutritious; (v.) earlier nursh (reduced form of nourish), assimilated to the noun

non·nurs·ing, adjective
o·ver·nurse, verb (used with object), -nursed, -nurs·ing.
un·der·nurse, noun
well-nursed, adjective


9. encourage, abet, help, aid, back. 14. rear, raise. 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.


7, 9. neglect.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

nurse
"dog fish, shark," 1499, of unknown origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

nurse (nûrs)
n.

  1. A person trained to care for the sick or disabled, especially one educated in the scientific basis of human response to health problems and trained to assist a physician.

  2. A wet nurse.

  3. An individual who cares for an infant or young child.

v. nursed, nurs·ing, nurs·es
  1. To serve as a nurse.

  2. To provide or take nourishment from the breast; suckle.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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