Nourish

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: nour=ish

CIDE DICTIONARY

Nourish, v. t. [OE. norisen, norischen, OF. nurir, nurrir, norir, F. nourrir, fr. L. nutrire. Cf. Nurse, Nutriment, and see -ish.].

•  To feed and cause to grow; to supply with matter which increases bulk or supplies waste, and promotes health; to furnish with nutriment.  [1913 Webster]

  "He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it."  [1913 Webster]
•  To support; to maintain.  [1913 Webster]

  "Whiles I in Ireland nourish a mighty band."  [1913 Webster]
•  To supply the means of support and increase to; to encourage; to foster; as, to nourish rebellion; to nourish the virtues.  Hooker.  [1913 Webster]
•  To cherish; to comfort.  [1913 Webster]

  "Ye have nourished your hearts."  [1913 Webster]
•  To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture; to promote the growth of in attainments.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

  "Nourished up in the words of faith."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To cherish; feed; supply. See Nurture.

Nourish, v. i. 

•  To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.  [1913 Webster]

  "Grains and roots nourish more than their leaves."  [1913 Webster]
•  To gain nourishment.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]

Nourish, n. 

 A nurse.  Hoolland.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Nourish, v.tr.
1 a sustain with food. b enrich; promote the development of (the soil etc.). c provide with intellectual or emotional sustenance or enrichment.
2 foster or cherish (a feeling etc.).

Derivative

nourisher n.

Etymology

ME f. OF norir f. L nutrire

THESAURUS

Nourish

abet, advance, aid, aid and abet, aliment, ask for, breast-feed, care for, cherish, coddle, cosset, countenance, cradle, cultivate, dry-nurse, encourage, fatten, fatten up, feed, fondle, force-feed, fortify, foster, give encouragement, harbor, help, invite, keep, keep in countenance, lactate, lavish care on, look after, maintain, mother, nurse, nurture, nutrify, pamper, promote, provide for, spoon-feed, stimulate, strengthen, stuff, suckle, support, sustain, take care of, wet-nurse

ROGET THESAURUS

Nourish

Aid

VB aid, assist, help, succor, lend one's aid, come to the aid, of, contribute, subscribe to, bring aid, give aid, furnish aid, afford aid, supply aid, give a helping hand, stretch a hand, lend a helping hand, lend a hand, bear a helping hand, hold out a hand, hold out a helping hand, give one a life, give one a cast, give one a turn, take by the hand, take in tow, help a lame dog over a stile, lend wings to, relieve, rescue, set up, set agoing, set on one's legs, bear through, pull through, give new life to, be the making of, reinforce, reenforce, recruit, set forward, put forward, push forward, give a lift, give a shove, give an impulse to, promote, further, forward, advance expedite, speed, quicken, hasten, support, sustain, uphold, prop, hold up, bolster, cradle, nourish, nurture, nurse, dry nurse, suckle, put out to nurse, manure, cultivate, force, foster, cherish, foment, feed the flame, fan the flame, serve, do service to, tender to, pander to, administer to, subminister to, minister to, tend, attend, wait on, take care of, entertain, smooth the bed of death, oblige, accommodate, consult the wishes of, humor, cheer, encourage, second, stand by, back, back up, pay the piper, abet, work for, make interest for, stick up for, take up the cudgels for, take up the cause of, espouse the cause of, adopt the cause of, advocate, beat up for recruits, press into the service, squire, give moral support to, keep in countenance, countenance, patronize, lend oneself to, lend one's countenance to, smile upon, shine upon, favor, befriend, take in hand, enlist under the banners of, side with, be of use to, subserve, benefit, render a service, conduce.