nurse1

noun

• 1a person trained to care for the sick or infirm, especially in a hospital: a team of doctors and nurses a psychiatric nurse
• dated a person employed or trained to take charge of young children:her mother’s old nurse
• archaic a wet nurse.

• 2 Entomology a worker bee, ant, or other social insect, caring for a young brood.
• [often as modifier] Forestry a tree or crop planted as a shelter to others: these plants grow beneath nurse trees such as oak

verb

• 1give medical and other attention to (a sick person):he was gradually nursed back to health
• [no object] work as a nurse:she nursed at the hospital for thirty years
• try to cure or alleviate (an injury, injured part, or illness) by treating it carefully and protectively:he has been nursing a cold figurativehe nursed his hurt pride
• harbour (a belief or feeling), especially for a long time:he still nursed a secret desire to try and make amends
• take special care of, especially to promote development or well-being:our political unity needs to be protected and nursed

• 2feed (a baby) at the breast: (as adjective nursing)nursing mothers
• [no object] be fed at the breast:the baby snuffled as he nursed
• (be nursed in) dated be brought up in (a specified condition):he was nursed in the lap of plenty

• 3hold closely and carefully or caressingly:he nursed his small case on his lap
• hold (a drink), sipping it occasionally:I nursed a double brandy

• 4 Billiards & Snooker try to play strokes which keep (the balls) close together.