— nurturable , adj. — nurtureless , adj. — nurturer , n.
/nerr"cheuhr/ , v. , nurtured, nurturing , n.
v.t.
1. to feed and protect: to nurture one's offspring.
2. to support and encourage, as during the period of training or development; foster: to nurture promising musicians.
3. to bring up; train; educate.
n.
4. rearing, upbringing, training, education, or the like.
5. development: the nurture of young artists.
6. something that nourishes; nourishment; food.
[ 1300-50; (n.) ME norture nourriture nutritura a nourishing, equiv. to L nutrit ( us ) (ptp. of nutrire to feed, NOURISH) + -ura -URE; (v.) deriv. of the n. ]
Syn. 1, 3. See nurse .