King James Bible Dictionary

General references
Genesis 24:59; Genesis 35:8; Exodus 2:7; Ruth 4:16; 2 Kings 11:2; Isaiah 60:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:7

Careless
2 Samuel 4:4

In ancient times the position of the nurse, wherever one was maintained, was one of much honor sad importance. See (Genesis 24:59; 36;8; 2 Samuel 4:4; 2 Kings 11:2) The same term is applied to a foster-father or mother, e.g. (Numbers 11:12; Ruth 4:16; Isaiah 49:23)

NURSE, noun

1. A woman that has the care of infants, or a woman employed to tend the children of others.

2. A woman who suckles infants.

3. A woman that has the care of a sick person.

4. A man who has the care of the sick.

5. A person that breeds, educates or protects; hence, that which breeds, brings up or causes to grow; as Greece, the nurse of the liberal arts.

6. An old woman; in contempt.

7. The state of being nursed; as, to put a child to nurse

8. In composition, that which supplies food; as a nurse-pond.

NURSE, verb transitive

1. To tend, as infants; as, to nurse a child.

2. To suckle; to nourish at the breast.

3. To attend and take care of in child-bed; as, to nurse a woman in her illness.

4. To tend the sick; applied to males and females.

5. To ffed; to maintain; to bring up. Isaiah 60:4.

6. To cherish; to foster; to encourage; to promote growth in. We say, to nurse a feeble animal or plant.

By what hands has vice been nursed into so uncontrolled a dominion?

7. To manage with care and economy, with a view to increase; as, to nurse our national resources.

NURS'ED, participle passive Tended in infancy or sickness; nourished from the breast maintained; cherished.

NURS'ER, noun One that cherishes or encourages growth.

NURS'ERY, noun

1. The place or apartment in a house appropriated to the care of children.

2. A place where young trees are propagated for the purpose of being transplanted; a plantation of young trees.

3. The place where any thing is fostered and the growth promoted.

To see fair Padua, nursery of arts.

So we say , a nursery of thieves or of rogues. Ale houses and dram-shops are the nurseries of intemperance.

Christian families are the nurseries of the church on earth, as she is the nursery of the church in heaven.

4. Taht which forms and educates. Commerce is the nursery of seamen.

5. The act of nursing. [Little used.]

6. That which is the object of a nurse's care.