A person (usually a woman) who takes care of other people’s young.

A person trained to provide care for the sick.

(figurative) One who, or that which, brings up, rears, causes to grow, trains, or fosters.

(horticulture) A shrub or tree that protects a young plant.

(nautical) A lieutenant or first officer who takes command when the captain is unfit for his place.

A larva of certain trematodes, which produces cercariae by asexual reproduction.

A nurse shark or dogfish.

(transitive) To breastfeed: to feed (a baby) at the breast; to suckle.

(intransitive) To breastfeed: to be fed at the breast.

(transitive) To care for (someone), especially in sickness; to tend to.

(transitive) To treat kindly and with extra care.

(transitive) To manage with care and economy.

(transitive) To drink slowly, to make it last.

(transitive) To foster, to nourish.

To hold closely to one's chest

(billiards, transitive) To strike (billiard balls) gently, so as to keep them in good position during a series of shots.