nurse

[[t]nɜrs[/t]]

n. v. nursed, nurs•ing

1) med a person formally educated and trained in the care of the sick or infirm, esp. a registered nurse

2) a woman who has the general care of a child or children

3) wet nurse

4) ent a worker that attends the young in a colony of social insects

5) to tend in sickness, infirmity, etc

6) to try to cure (an ailment) by taking care of oneself:

to nurse a cold[/ex]

7) to suckle (an infant)

8) to handle carefully or fondly

9) to use, consume, or dispense slowly or carefully:

to nurse a cup of tea[/ex]

10) to keep steadily in mind:

He nursed a grudge[/ex]

11) to feed and tend in infancy

12) to bring up, train, or nurture

13) to suckle a child, esp. one's own

14) (of a child) to suckle

15) to act as nurse; tend the sick or infirm

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Etymology: 1350–1400; ME, var. of n(o)urice, norice < OF < LL nūtrīcia, n. use of fem. of L nūtrīcius nutritious nurs′er, n.