Library / English Dictionary

NURTURE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Helping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community

Example:

they debated whether nature or nurture was more important

Synonyms:

breeding; bringing up; fosterage; fostering; nurture; raising; rearing; upbringing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("nurture" is a kind of...):

acculturation; enculturation; socialisation; socialization (the adoption of the behavior patterns of the surrounding culture)

Derivation:

nurtural (resulting from nurture)

nurture (help develop, help grow)

nurture (look after a child until it is an adult)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The properties acquired as a consequence of the way you were treated as a child

Synonyms:

nurture; raising; rearing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("nurture" is a kind of...):

upbringing (properties acquired during a person's formative years)

Derivation:

nurture (help develop, help grow)

nurture (look after a child until it is an adult)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Help develop, help grow

Example:

nurture his talents

Synonyms:

foster; nurture

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "nurture" is one way to...):

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "nurture"):

keep going; patronage; patronise; patronize; support (be a regular customer or client of)

serve; serve well (promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

nurture (helping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community)

nurture (the properties acquired as a consequence of the way you were treated as a child)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Provide with nourishment

Example:

This kind of food is not nourishing for young children

Synonyms:

nourish; nurture; sustain

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "nurture" is one way to...):

cater; ply; provide; supply (give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "nurture"):

carry (be able to feed)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

nurturance (physical and emotional care and nourishment)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Look after a child until it is an adult

Example:

bring up children

Synonyms:

bring up; nurture; parent; raise; rear

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Cause:

grow up (become an adult)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "nurture"):

fledge (feed, care for, and rear young birds for flight)

cradle (bring up from infancy)

foster (bring up under fosterage; of children)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

nurture (helping someone grow up to be an accepted member of the community)

nurture (the properties acquired as a consequence of the way you were treated as a child)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Alternatively, a creative project that you have nurtured will now finish to high praise and applause.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

If you aren’t moving, renovating, repairing, or decorating your home, you may be thinking about how to best help a parent, who, as the person who nurtured you in life, is also covered by the fourth house of home.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I am not referring to casual dating or a roll in the hay, but rather real and heartfelt love, the kind of love you will want to treasure, nurture, and build your life upon.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)