Nurse
/nɜːrs/
Definitions
3 meaningsA healthcare professional who provides care for the sick, injured, or infirm.
/nɜːrs/
A person trained to care for the sick or infirm.
The nurse checked the patient's vital signs.
💡 Simply: A nurse is like a helper at the doctor's office or hospital. They help people who are sick get better. They take care of them, give them medicine, and make sure they are comfortable. Like a mom, but for sick people!
👶 For kids: A nurse is someone who helps people who are sick feel better. They give them medicine and make sure they are okay.
More Examples
She worked as a nurse in the emergency room for ten years.
The hospital has a shortage of nurses.
How It's Used
"The nurse administered the medication."
"Nurses are essential to patient care."
To provide care, comfort, and treatment to a sick or injured person, or to tend or foster something.
/nɜːrs/
To care for or treat someone who is sick or injured.
She nursed her sick child back to health.
💡 Simply: To nurse someone back to health is like being a super-caring friend who helps a sick person get better. Imagine you are the nurse! You give them medicine, make them comfortable, and cheer them up.
👶 For kids: If you nurse someone, it means you help them when they are sick. Like giving them a hug and a glass of water.
More Examples
The doctor nursed his injured leg.
The company nursed the project through its difficult stages.
How It's Used
"The doctor and nurses nursed the patient back to health."
"She nursed her ambition carefully."
To feed an infant with breast milk.
/nɜːrs/
To feed a baby with breast milk.
She nursed her baby for six months.
💡 Simply: When a mom nurses her baby, she feeds the baby milk from her body, kind of like a natural food source!
👶 For kids: When a mommy nurses her baby, she gives her baby milk from her body to help it grow.
More Examples
The baby was nursed in the hospital.
The mother nursed the child on demand.
How It's Used
"The mother nursed her newborn baby."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
nurse a grudge
To hold resentment or bitterness towards someone for a long time.
"He nursed a grudge against his former business partner for many years."
From Old French *nurrice* and Latin *nutricius*, meaning 'to nourish' or 'a person who rears a child'.
The word 'nurse' has been used in English since the 13th century, evolving from its original meaning of 'to nourish' or 'to bring up a child'.
Memory tip
Think of a person offering care and support at a hospital, like a 'nurturing' presence.