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nurse
[ nurs ]
noun
- 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.
- a woman who has the general care of a child or children; dry nurse.
- a woman employed to suckle an infant; wet nurse.
- any fostering agency or influence.
- Entomology. a worker that attends the young in a colony of social insects.
- Billiards. the act of maintaining the position of billiard balls in preparation for a carom.
verb (used with object)
- to tend or minister to in sickness, infirmity, etc.
Antonyms: neglect
- to try to cure (an ailment) by taking care of oneself:
to nurse a cold.
- 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
- to treat or handle with adroit care in order to further one's own interests:
to nurse one's nest egg.
- to use, consume, or dispense very slowly or carefully:
He nursed the one drink all evening.
- to keep steadily in mind or memory:
He nursed a grudge against me all the rest of his life.
- to suckle (an infant).
- to feed and tend in infancy.
- to bring up, train, or nurture.
- to clasp or handle carefully or fondly:
to nurse a plate of food on one's lap.
- Billiards. to maintain the position of (billiard balls) for a series of caroms.
verb (used without object)
- to suckle a child, especially one's own.
- (of a child) to suckle:
The child did not nurse after he was three months old.
- to act as nurse; tend the sick or infirm.
nurse
/ nɜːs /
noun
- a person who tends the sick, injured, or infirm
- See nursemaidshort for nursemaid
- a woman employed to breast-feed another woman's child; wet nurse
- a worker in a colony of social insects that takes care of the larvae
verb
- also intr to tend (the sick)
- also intr to feed (a baby) at the breast; suckle
- to try to cure (an ailment)
- to clasp carefully or fondly
she nursed the crying child in her arms
- also intr (of a baby) to suckle at the breast (of)
- to look after (a child) as one's employment
- to attend to carefully; foster, cherish
having a very small majority he nursed the constituency diligently
he nursed the magazine through its first year
- to harbour; preserve
to nurse a grudge
- billiards to keep (the balls) together for a series of cannons
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Other Words From
- non·nursing adjective
- over·nurse verb (used with object) overnursed overnursing
- under·nurse noun
- well-nursed adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of nurse1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of nurse1
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Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
But Olds did more than build Nurse-Family Partnership; he did the rigorous evaluation to prove it would work.
Consider Nurse-Family Partnership, one of the best examples of evidence in action.
At the hospital, I was told to wait, and was given some tea by a nurse.
I learn by the third day to tell the nurse privately to make mine mostly orange juice.
The substitute nurse says to him in a stage whisper, “You know, the doctor says no vodka.”
There were other children beside, and two nurse-maids followed, looking disagreeable and resigned.
And sure enough when Sunday came, and the pencil was restored to him, he promptly showed nurse his picture.
Jean clung to his English nurse, who played the fascinating game of pretending to eat his hand.
A small boy of three years and nine months on receiving from his nurse the familiar order, "Come here!"
Here he can inspect what he sees, say the reflection of the face of his mother or nurse, and compare it at once with the original.
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