1. One skilled in caring for young children or the sick (usually under the supervision of a physician)
   "The nurse administered medication to the patients";
   - sister [Brit]
    
2. A woman who is the custodian of children
   "The wealthy family employed a nurse to care for their infant";
   - nanny, nursemaid [archaic]

1. Serve as a nurse; care for sick or handicapped people
   "She nursed her elderly mother back to health after the surgery"
    
2. (medicine) try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
   "He nursed his cold with Chinese herbs"
    
3. Feed a baby with milk directly from the breast
   "You cannot nurse your baby in public in some places"; "She wet-nursed the orphaned infant";
   - breastfeed, suckle, wet-nurse, give suck [archaic]
    
4. Treat carefully
   "He nursed his injured back by lying in bed several hours every afternoon"; "He nursed the flowers in his garden and fertilized them regularly"
    
5. Maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
   "nurse a resentment";
   - harbor [N. Amer], harbour [Brit, Cdn], hold, entertain, bear

Derived forms: nursed, nurses, nursing

Type of: adult female, care, care for, caregiver [N. Amer], carer [Brit], do by [Brit], experience, feed, feel, give, give care, handle, health care provider, health professional, keeper, PCP, primary care provider, treat, woman

Part of: nurse-patient relation

Encyclopedia: Nurse, Paul