̈ɪnə:s n. & v. --n. 1 a
person trained to
assist doctors in
caring for the sick or
infirm. 2 a person employed or trained to
take charge of
young children. 3
archaic = wet-nurse. 4
Forestry a
tree planted as a
shelter to others. 5 Zool. a sexually
imperfect bee,
ant,
etc., caring for a young
brood; a
worker. --v. 1 a intr.
work as a nurse. b tr.
attend to (a sick person). c tr.
give medical attention to (an
illness or injury). 2 tr. & intr.
feed or be
fed at the
breast. 3 tr. (in
passive; foll. by in) be
brought up in (a specified condition) (nursed in poverty). 4 tr. hold or
treat carefully or caressingly (sat
nursing my feet). 5 tr. a
foster;
promote the
development of (the arts, plants, etc.). b
harbour or
nurture (a
grievance,
hatred, etc.). c pay
special attention to (nursed the voters). 6 tr.
Billiards keep (the balls)
together for a
series of cannons. [reduced f. ME
and OF norice, nurice f. LL nutricia fem. of L nutricius f. nutrix -icis f. nutrire NOURISH]
