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.

to look after carefully so as to promote growth, development, etc.; foster; cherish: to nurse one's meager talents.

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.

to act as nurse; tend the sick or infirm.

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

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: he nursed the magazine through its first year; having a very small majority he nursed the constituency diligently

to harbour; preserve: to nurse a grudge

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