Dictionary

nourish en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈnʌɹ.ɪʃ/ Received Pronunciation, other accents without the "Hurry-furry" merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈnʊɹ.ɪʃ/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
• (New-England) audio
• /ˈnʌɹ.ɪʃ/ (Boston, Eastern, New-England, New-York-City, traditional) without the hurry–furry merger
• /ˈnɝ.ɪʃ/ hurry–furry merger, General American, Canada

Etymology

From Middle English norischen, from Old French nouriss-, stem of one of the conjugated forms of norrir, from Latin nutriō (“to suckle, feed, foster, nourish, cherish, preserve, support”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete) A nurse.

Forms

nourish en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈnʌɹ.ɪʃ/ Received Pronunciation, other accents without the "Hurry-furry" merger
• (US) audio
• /ˈnʊɹ.ɪʃ/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
• (New-England) audio
• /ˈnʌɹ.ɪʃ/ (Boston, Eastern, New-England, New-York-City, traditional) without the hurry–furry merger
• /ˈnɝ.ɪʃ/ hurry–furry merger, General American, Canada

Etymology

From Middle English norischen, from Old French nouriss-, stem of one of the conjugated forms of norrir, from Latin nutriō (“to suckle, feed, foster, nourish, cherish, preserve, support”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To feed and cause to grow; to supply with food or other matter which increases weight and promotes health.
   • Children nourished exclusively upon this simple food will be found to enjoy more perfect health 1872, Thomas Bull, The Maternal Management of Children, in Health and Diseases:
   • He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 44:14:
   • we have ample evidence that male Bobolinks do not shirk the labor of nourishing their families. In a four-year study, Wittenberger (1980, 1982) found that males delivered about 60 Bobolink percent of the food. 1996, Alexander Frank Skutch, Orioles, Blackbirds, and Their Kin: A Natural History:
   • other carnivorous Animals are difficultly nourished by Plants alone 1623, Francis Bacon, Historia Vitae et Mortis:
2. (transitive) To support; to maintain; to be responsible for.
   • I in Ireland nourish a mighty band. 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
3. (transitive) To encourage; to foster; to stimulate
   • to nourish civility
   • When we slow down to pay attention to our own experience, we open ourselves to the love and richness that is here all the time. These are moments that can nourish your connection to your heart. 2003, Marilyn Byfield Paul, It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys:
   • to nourish a sense of self-worth
   • [T]he fauour of Princes and Magiſtrates noryſheth, augmenteth, and amplyfyeth all artes and ſciences by liberalitie, and extynguyſheth the ſame by miſerable couetouſnes and parcimonie. 1561, Richard Eden, “To the Ryght Worshypfull Syr Wyllyam Garrerd Knyght, and Master Thomas Lodge, Aldermen of the Citie of London, and Gouernours of the Honorable Felowshyp or Societie, aswell of Certaine of the Nobilitie, as of Marchauntes Aduenturers, for the Discouery of Landes, Territories, Ilandes, and Seignories Vnknowen, and Not before Their First Aduenture or Enterprise by Seas or Nauigations Commonly Frequented: And to the Right Worshypfull the Consulles, Assistentes, and Comminaltie of the Same Societie, Richarde Eden Wyssheth Health and Prosperitie”, in Martin Cortes [i.e., Martín Cortés de Albacar], translated by Richard Eden, The Arte of Nauigation: Conteynyng a Compendious Description of the Sphere, with the Makyng of Certen Instrumentes and Rules for Nauigations: and Exemplified by Manye Demonstrations. […], London: […] Richard Jugge, […], →OCLC, signature [¶ iii], recto:
   • I thanked the Fort Leavenworth military historian, Colonel von Schlemmer, for nourishing my first hope to memorialize the Buffalo Soldiers 2010, Colin L. Powell, My American Journey:
4. (transitive) To cherish; to comfort.
   • Ye have nourished your hearts. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, James 5:5:
5. (of a person, transitive) To educate or bring up; to nurture; to promote emotional, spiritual or other non-physical growth.
   • Nourished up in the words of faith. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Timothy 4:6:
6. (intransitive) To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.
   • This type of nourishes very well.
7. (intransitive, obsolete) To gain nourishment.
   • a kingdom may have good limbs, but will have empty veins, and nourish little 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Empire”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

nourishment · malnourishment · renourish · nourishable · nourishing · nourisher · overnourish · well-nourished · nourish a viper in one's bosom · undernourish · malnourish

Relateds

nutriment · nurse · nutrition · nurture

Translations (63)

tr beslemek (to feed and cause to grow) · eo eduki (to feed and cause to grow) · hi पोषण (to feed and cause to grow) · cs živit (to feed and cause to grow) · bg изхранвам (To support; to maintain.) · es nutrir (to feed and cause to grow) · th หล่อเลี้ยง (to feed and cause to grow) · fi ravita (to feed and cause to grow) · sa बिभर्ति (to feed and cause to grow) · eo subteni (To supply the means of support; to encourage; to foster) · it alimentare (To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.) · vec norir (To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.) · eo kreskigi (to feed and cause to grow) · de aufziehen (to feed and cause to grow) · ga biathaigh (to feed and cause to grow) · bg торя (To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.) · vec norir (To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture) · de aufziehen (To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture) · hy կերակրել (to feed and cause to grow) · de großziehen (To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture) · ang alan (to feed and cause to grow) · it educare (To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture) · it incoraggiare (To supply the means of support; to encourage; to foster) · ru вска́рмливать (to feed and cause to grow) · bg отглеждам (To supply the means of support; to encourage; to foster) · fur nudrî (to feed and cause to grow) · it confortare (To cherish; to comfort.) · sga ailid (to feed and cause to grow) · pt nutrir-se (To gain nourishment.) · la alō (To supply the means of support; to encourage; to foster) · cy maethu (to feed and cause to grow) · cs vyživovat (to feed and cause to grow) · grc φέρβω (to feed and cause to grow) · hy սնուցել (to feed and cause to grow) · it istruire (To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture) · cy porthi (to feed and cause to grow) · mi whakamōmona (to feed and cause to grow) · eo eduki (To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture) · ru расти́ть (to feed and cause to grow) · it nutrire (to feed and cause to grow) · bg храня (to feed and cause to grow) · grc ἀλδαίνω (to feed and cause to grow) · it accrescere (To supply the means of support; to encourage; to foster) · de ernähren (to feed and cause to grow) · mi whakawairākau (to feed and cause to grow) · ru пита́ть (to feed and cause to grow) · la alere (to feed and cause to grow) · ru корми́ть (to feed and cause to grow) · mi whakawairākau (To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.) · vec norir (to feed and cause to grow) · pt nutrir (to feed and cause to grow) · grc τρέφω (to feed and cause to grow) · mi whāngai (To supply the means of support; to encourage; to foster) · ga beathaigh (to feed and cause to grow) · eo kreskigi (To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture) · it mantenere (To support; to maintain.) · gl nutrir (to feed and cause to grow) · eo subteni (To support; to maintain.) · ro nutri (to feed and cause to grow) · de nähren (to feed and cause to grow) · fr nourrir (to feed and cause to grow) · de erziehen (To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture) · hu táplál (to feed and cause to grow)