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Webster 1913 Edition


Nourish

Nour′ish

(nŭr′ĭsh)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Nourished
(nŭr′ĭsht)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Nourishing
.]
[OE.
norisen
,
norischen
, OF.
nurir
,
nurrir
,
norir
, F.
nourrir
, fr. L.
nutrire
. Cf.
Nurse
,
Nutriment
, and see
-ish
.]
1.
To feed and cause to grow; to supply with matter which increases bulk or supplies waste, and promotes health; to furnish with nutriment.
He planteth an ash, and the rain doth
nourish
it.
Is. xliv. 14.
2.
To support; to maintain.
Whiles I in Ireland
nourish
a mighty band.
Shakespeare
3.
To supply the means of support and increase to; to encourage; to foster;
as, to
nourish
rebellion; to
nourish
the virtues.
Nourish their contentions.”
Hooker.
4.
To cherish; to comfort.
Ye have
nourished
your hearts.
James v. 5.
5.
To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture; to promote the growth of in attainments.
Chaucer.
Nourished
up in the words of faith.
1 Tim. iv. 6.
Syn. – To cherish; feed; supply. See
Nurture
.

Nour′ish

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.
Grains and roots
nourish
more than their leaves.
Bacon.
2.
To gain nourishment.
[R.]
Bacon.

Nour′ish

,
Noun.
A nurse.
[Obs.]
Hoolland.

Webster 1828 Edition


Nourish

NOURISH

,
Verb.
T.
[G. to nourish, cannot be the same word unless they have lost a dental, which may perhaps be the fact.]
1.
To feed and cause to grow; to supply a living or organized body, animal or vegetable, with matter which increases its bulk or supplies the waste occasioned by any of its functions; to supply with nutriment.
2.
To support; to maintain by feeding. Genesis 47.
Whilst I in Ireland nourish a mighty band, I will stir up in England some black storm.
3.
To supply the means of support and increase; to encourage; as, to nourish rebellion; to nourish the virtues.
What madness was ti, with such proofs, to nourish their contentions!
4.
To cherish; to comfort. James 5.
5.
To educate; to instruct; to promote growth in attainments. 1 Timothy 4.

NOURISH

, v.i.
1.
To promote growth.
Grains and roots nourish more then leaves. [Elliptical.]
2.
To gain nourishment. [Unusual.]

Definition 2024


nourish

nourish

English

Noun

nourish (plural nourishes)

  1. (obsolete) A nurse.

Verb

nourish (third-person singular simple present nourishes, present participle nourishing, simple past and past participle nourished)

  1. To feed and cause to grow; to supply with matter which increases bulk or supplies waste, and promotes health; to furnish with nutriment.
    • Bible, Is. xliv. 14
      He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
  2. To support; to maintain.
    • Shakespeare
      I in Ireland nourish a mighty band.
  3. To supply the means of support and increase to; to encourage; to foster
    to nourish rebellion
    to nourish virtues
  4. To cherish; to comfort.
    • Bible, James v. 5
      Ye have nourished your hearts.
  5. To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture; to promote the growth of in attainments.
    • Bible, 1 Timothy iv. 6
      Nourished up in the words of faith.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)
  6. To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.
  7. (intransitive, obsolete) To gain nourishment.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations