nourish

English

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”).

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation, NYC, other accents without the "Hurry-furry" merger) IPA^(key): /ˈnʌɹ.ɪʃ/
(General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnʌɹ.ɪʃ/, /ˈnɝ.ɪʃ/
- (hypercorrection) IPA^(key): /ˈnʊɹ.ɪʃ/
Audio (US) (file)
(accents without the hurry–furry merger)
Audio (US) (file)
(accents with the hurry–furry merger)
Rhymes: -ʌɹɪʃ, (hypercorrection) -ʊɹɪʃ

Noun

nourish (plural nourishes)

(obsolete) A nurse.

Verb

nourish (third-person singular simple present nourishes, present participle nourishing, simple past and past participle nourished)

(transitive) To feed and cause to grow; to supply with food or other matter which increases weight and promotes health.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Isaiah 44:14:
  He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
- 1623, Francis Bacon, Historia Vitae et Mortis
  other carnivorous Animals are difficultly nourished by Plants alone
- 1872, Thomas Bull, The Maternal Management of Children, in Health and Diseases:
  Children nourished exclusively upon this simple food will be found to enjoy more perfect health
- 1996, Alexander Frank Skutch, Orioles, Blackbirds, and Their Kin: A Natural History:
  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.
(transitive) To support; to maintain; to be responsible for.
- 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 606515358, [Act III, scene i]:
  I in Ireland nourish a mighty band.
(transitive) To encourage; to foster; to stimulate
- 2003, Marilyn Byfield Paul, It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys:
  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.
- 2010, Colin L. Powell, My American Journey:
  I thanked the Fort Leavenworth military historian, Colonel von Schlemmer, for nourishing my first hope to memorialize the Buffalo Soldiers
to nourish civility
to nourish a sense of self-worth
(transitive)To cherish; to comfort.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, James 5:5:
  Ye have nourished your hearts.
(transitive, of a person) To educate or bring up; to nurture; to promote emotional, spiritual or other non-physical growth.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, 1 Timothy 4:6:
  Nourished up in the words of faith.
(intransitive) To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.
This type of nourishes very well.
(intransitive, obsolete) To gain nourishment.
- 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Empire”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, OCLC 863521290:
  a kingdom may have good limbs, but will have empty veins, and nourish little

Derived terms

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

Related terms

nurse
nurture
nutriment
nutrition

Translations

to feed and cause to grow

Armenian: կերակրել (hy) (kerakrel), սնուցել (hy) (snucʿel)
Bulgarian: храня (bg) (hranja)
Czech: živit (cs), vyživovat
Esperanto: kreskigi, eduki (eo)
Finnish: ravita (fi)
French: nourrir (fr)
Friulian: nudrî
German: ernähren (de), nähren (de), aufziehen (de)
Greek:
Ancient: τρέφω (tréphō), φέρβω (phérbō) (Epic), ἀλδαίνω (aldaínō) (Epic)
Hungarian: táplál (hu)
Irish: beathaigh, biathaigh
Old Irish: ailid
Italian: nutrire (it)
Latin: alere
Maori: whakawairākau, whakamōmona
Old English: alan
Portuguese: nutrir (pt)
Romanian: nutri (ro)
Russian: корми́ть (ru) impf (kormítʹ), пита́ть (ru) impf (pitátʹ), вска́рмливать (ru) impf (vskármlivatʹ) (esp. of suckling), расти́ть (ru) impf (rastítʹ) (to rear, to raise)
Sanskrit: बिभर्ति (sa) (bibharti)
Spanish: nutrir (es)
Thai: หล่อเลี้ยง (th) (lɔ̀ɔ-líiang)
Turkish: beslemek (tr)
Venetian: norir (vec)
Welsh: porthi (cy), maethu (cy)

To support; to maintain.

Bulgarian: изхранвам (bg) (izhranvam)
Esperanto: subteni
Italian: mantenere (it)

To supply the means of support; to encourage; to foster

Bulgarian: отглеждам (bg) (otgleždam)
Esperanto: subteni
Italian: accrescere (it), incoraggiare (it)
Latin: alō (la)
Maori: whāngai

To cherish; to comfort.

Italian: confortare (it)

To educate; to instruct; to bring up; to nurture

Esperanto: kreskigi, eduki (eo)
German: erziehen (de), großziehen (de), aufziehen (de)
Italian: educare (it), istruire (it)
Venetian: norir (vec)

To promote growth; to furnish nutriment.

Bulgarian: торя (bg) (torja)
Italian: alimentare (it)
Maori: whakawairākau
Venetian: norir (vec)

To gain nourishment.

Portuguese: nutrir-se