nurse
nurse — noun
1. Someone trained to provide medical care to people who are sick or hurt, usually
Someone trained to provide medical care to people who are sick or hurt, usually working at a clinic or hospital.
Lara worked as a nurse at the city hospital for over twelve years.
collocation: work as a nurse
The nurse checked Jisoo's blood pressure and wrote the results on the chart.
typical actions: check vitals, write chart
After graduating, Rania decided to train as a nurse in the children's ward.
collocation: train as a nurse
A night nurse came by each hour to adjust the drip and give medicine.
compound noun: night nurse
- hospital nurse
- registered nurse
- night nurse
- student nurse
- nurse practitioner
- medical worker
broader term that includes doctors and technicians
- caregiver
can refer to non-professional family care, not just hospital staff
- healthcare professional
more formal and covers a wider range of roles
Grammar Patterns
a/the nurse
nurse + preposition (at/in/on)
Usage Note
Commonly used with a hospital department or ward name: 'a cardiac nurse', 'a pediatric nurse'. The title is sometimes abbreviated as 'N' in hospital settings, though learners should use the full form.
Common Mistakes
2. A woman whose job is to look after young children in their home, a role that was
A woman whose job is to look after young children in their home, a role that was common in past centuries.
In Victorian novels, a nurse often took care of the children while the parents travelled.
historical setting signals older usage
The wealthy family hired a nurse to watch over their three young children.
Indra read about the role of a wet nurse in her history class last semester.
compound: wet nurse
In the 1800s, a nurse lived with the family and cared for the children.
- wet nurse
- children's nurse
- dry nurse
- nanny
modern term for a childcare worker living with the family
- childminder
common in UK English for someone who looks after children in their own home
Grammar Patterns
a/the nurse + for/to [child]
Usage Note
This sense is largely historical in British English. In modern use, 'nanny' or 'childminder' is more common. 'Wet nurse' refers specifically to a woman who breastfeeds another woman's baby.
Common Mistakes
nurse — verb
1. To take care of someone or an animal that is sick or hurt, helping them get bett
To take care of someone or an animal that is sick or hurt, helping them get better by giving medicine, food, and comfort.
Arjun stayed home from school to nurse his mother after her operation.
transitive: nurse + [person]
Eshe spent the whole winter nursing an injured owl back to health.
pattern: nurse + [animal] + back to health
Brooke nursed her grandfather through his final illness with patience and kindness.
pattern: nurse + through + [illness]
William volunteered at the shelter, nursing sick puppies until they could be adopted.
- nurse back to health
- nurse through
- nurse a patient
- nurse an animal
- tend to
slightly more formal; can apply to people, animals, or plants
- look after
more general; not limited to medical situations
- care for
close synonym; implies warmth and attention
- neglect
to fail to care for someone properly
Grammar Patterns
nurse + [person/animal]
nurse + [person/animal] + back to health
nurse + through [illness]
Usage Note
Frequently used with 'back to health' to emphasize recovery. The object can be a person, an animal, or even a plant that needs care. When used intransitively, it means to work as a nurse ('She nursed at the county hospital for decades').
Common Mistakes
2. To put significant time and effort into helping something grow, develop, or adva
To put significant time and effort into helping something grow, develop, or advance — such as a talent, a friendship, or a small business.
Lara nursed her small baking business from a home kitchen into a popular cafe.
pattern: nurse + [thing] + from [small] + into [bigger]
The teacher carefully nursed the students' interest in science with fun experiments.
Maeve and her partner nursed their relationship through many difficult years.
pattern: nurse + through + [difficulty]
Christopher nursed a dream of becoming a writer ever since he was a child.
collocation: nurse a dream
- nurse a dream
- nurse a talent
- nurse an ambition
- nurse a relationship
- neglect
to fail to give enough attention to something's development
Grammar Patterns
nurse + [ambition/interest/talent/relationship]
Usage Note
The object is always an abstract thing — a project, skill, ambition, or relationship. Unlike verb/1, this sense does NOT apply to living beings needing medical care. Use this sense when the focus is on gradual development through patient effort.
3. To rest and take care of a minor illness or injury so that it heals, rather than
To rest and take care of a minor illness or injury so that it heals, rather than seeking active medical treatment.
Rania stayed home for three days to nurse a bad cold and sore throat.
collocation: nurse a cold
Eli nursed his twisted ankle by keeping it raised and applying ice packs.
pattern: nurse + [body part injury]
After the marathon, Jisoo spent a week nursing a painful knee injury at home.
Indra tried nursing her sore back with warm baths and plenty of rest.
- nurse a cold
- nurse an injury
- nurse a sprain
- nurse a headache
- rest
simpler, less specific about active care
- take care of
broader and more general
Grammar Patterns
nurse + [cold/injury/sprained ankle/etc.]
Usage Note
Unlike verb/1, the subject and object are the SAME person — you nurse your OWN illness or injury. The ailment is typically minor (a cold, a sprain) and the care involves rest and home remedies rather than professional medical treatment. This sense is never used for serious diseases.
Common Mistakes
4. To hold a baby or small child gently in your arms, especially to comfort or soot
To hold a baby or small child gently in your arms, especially to comfort or soothe them when they are upset or sleepy.
Élise sat in the rocking chair, nursing her crying son until he calmed down.
scene: rocking chair, soothing a crying child
The grandfather gently nursed the toddler in his arms while reading a bedtime story.
Brooke nursed the baby close as she walked slowly around the quiet room.
adverb: close; typical scene: walking slowly
When the girl woke crying from a nightmare, her father nursed her back to sleep.
resultative: nurse + back to sleep
- nurse in one's arms
- nurse against the chest
- nurse back to sleep
- cradle
emphasizes the gentle, supportive way of holding
- hold close
more general; can be used for anyone
Grammar Patterns
nurse + [baby/child] + in/against [body part]
Usage Note
Distinguish from verb/5 (BREASTFEED): this sense refers to holding a child for comfort, not feeding. The focus is on the gentle, cradling motion. The object must be a small child — never an adult or an animal.
Common Mistakes
5. To feed a baby with milk from the mother's breast, either as the mother feeding
To feed a baby with milk from the mother's breast, either as the mother feeding the baby or as the baby drinking the milk.
Eshe nursed her newborn daughter every three hours during the first few weeks.
transitive: mother nurses baby
The baby nursed for nearly half an hour before falling asleep in his mother's arms.
intransitive: baby nurses
Many hospitals have rooms where mothers can nurse their babies privately.
location context: hospital rooms
Arjun's wife found a comfortable spot on the bench to nurse their crying infant.
- nurse a baby
- nurse in public
- nursing mother
- nursing room
- breastfeed
more formal and clinical; preferred in medical contexts
- suckle
formal or literary; less common in everyday speech
- bottle-feed
to feed a baby with milk from a bottle instead of the breast
Grammar Patterns
nurse + [baby]
baby nurses (intransitive)
nurse [for + duration]
Usage Note
This is a polite and common term for breastfeeding. In medical or formal writing, 'breastfeed' is preferred; in everyday conversation, 'nurse' is natural. Both the mother (transitive: 'She nursed the baby') and the baby (intransitive: 'The baby nursed') can be the subject.
6. To keep an emotion or desire alive inside yourself across many days and weeks wi
To keep an emotion or desire alive inside yourself across many days and weeks without telling others about it — especially resentment, anger, hope, or an ambition.
For years, William nursed a secret resentment toward his brother for inheriting the family farm.
collocation: nurse a resentment
Rania nursed a quiet hope that she would return to her hometown someday.
positive emotion: nurse a hope
Instead of talking things through, Maeve nursed her anger until it ruined their friendship.
Jisoo nursed a secret ambition to become a pilot after her first flight.
- nurse a grudge
- nurse resentment
- nurse a hope
- nurse an ambition
- nurse anger
- release
to let go of a feeling or emotion
Grammar Patterns
nurse + [grudge/resentment/anger/ambition/hope]
Usage Note
The emotion is always held privately — the person does not express it openly. With negative emotions (grudge, resentment), the tone suggests the feeling is kept alive unnecessarily. With positive emotions (hope, dream), 'nurse' carries a gentler, more wistful tone. This sense is fairly literary in register.
Common Mistakes
7. To take a very long time drinking something, keeping the glass in your hand and
To take a very long time drinking something, keeping the glass in your hand and sipping little by little, often because you are not in a hurry or want the drink to last.
Christopher sat at the bar, nursing a single beer for nearly two hours.
collocation: nurse a beer; typical duration
Lara nursed the same glass of wine all evening because she had to drive home.
Eli nursed his coffee slowly, staring out at the rain on the street.
collocation: nurse coffee
Instead of joining the toast, Indra just nursed her orange juice and smiled politely.
- nurse a drink
- nurse a beer
- nurse a glass of wine
- nurse a coffee
Grammar Patterns
nurse + [drink/beer/glass of wine]
Usage Note
Informal and used mainly in social situations. The drink is typically alcoholic (beer, wine, cocktail) but can also be coffee or tea when the person is not in a hurry. The sense implies a deliberate, unhurried pace — not thirst but savouring or stalling.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'nurse' comes from the Latin 'nutrix', meaning a woman who suckles or nourishes a child. It entered English through Old French 'nourrice' in the 13th century, originally referring to a wet nurse. Over time the meaning broadened from childcare to medical care, especially as professional nursing developed in the 19th century through pioneers like Florence Nightingale.