nurse
High (B1)Neutral
Definition
Meaning
A person trained to care for the sick or infirm, especially in a hospital or clinical setting.
To care for or tend to someone or something with attention and concern, or to promote the development or growth of something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun form typically refers to the medical profession. The verb form has broader applications, including nurturing plants, ideas, or grudges.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'nurse' is a protected title; 'registered nurse' (RN) is standard. In the US, common titles include 'RN' and 'licensed practical nurse' (LPN). 'Nurse practitioner' (NP) is common in both. The verb 'to nurse' is used slightly more often in the UK in contexts like 'nursing a drink' or 'nursing an injury'.
Connotations
Strongly positive connotations of care, compassion, and medical expertise in both varieties. The profession is overwhelmingly female-associated, though 'male nurse' is a common collocation.
Frequency
The noun is equally high-frequency. The verb may have a slightly higher collocational range in British English (e.g., 'nurse the team to victory').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
nurse somebody (back to health)nurse something (e.g., a drink, a grudge, an idea)nurse somebody/something (e.g., a plant) through somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “nurse a grudge”
- “nurse a drink”
- “wet nurse (historical)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in healthcare industry contexts (e.g., 'nurse recruitment', 'nurse staffing levels').
Academic
Common in medical, nursing, and sociological literature.
Everyday
Very common for discussing health, hospitals, and caregiving.
Technical
Specific in medicine/nursing (e.g., 'triage nurse', 'perioperative nurse', 'nurse the wound').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He's been nursing that pint for an hour.
- She nursed the sapling through the harsh winter.
- The team are nursing a slender one-goal lead.
American English
- He's nursing a sore shoulder from the game.
- She carefully nursed the startup through its first year.
- He's been nursing a grudge for decades.
adverb
British English
- (Rare to non-standard; no common examples.)
- (Rare to non-standard; no common examples.)
American English
- (Rare to non-standard; no common examples.)
- (Rare to non-standard; no common examples.)
adjective
British English
- She completed her nurse training last year.
- He took a nurse consultancy role.
- The nurse manager called a meeting.
American English
- She is in a nurse residency program.
- We have a nurse call system in every room.
- He attended the nurse practitioner conference.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The nurse checked my temperature.
- My sister wants to be a nurse.
- Can I speak to the nurse, please?
- Several nurses were on duty during the night.
- After his operation, a nurse helped him walk again.
- She is training to become a paediatric nurse.
- The charge nurse allocated beds to the new admissions.
- He had to nurse the old car along until he could afford repairs.
- She's been nursing a hope to study abroad for years.
- The government's policy has been criticised by nursing unions.
- He subtly nursed the committee's discussion towards his preferred outcome.
- Nursing a simmering resentment, she declined the invitation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'NURSE' as 'Nurturing U with Reliable Support & Empathy'.
Conceptual Metaphor
NURTURING IS NURSING (e.g., 'nurse a project', 'nurse an ambition'), HOLDING ONTO IS NURSING (e.g., 'nurse a grudge').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not a direct equivalent of 'медсестра' for males; 'nurse' is gender-neutral in English, though a male can be specified as a 'male nurse'.
- The verb 'to nurse' does not mean to breastfeed exclusively; it means to feed any infant from the breast or bottle, or to care for generally.
- 'Nurse' as a profession is not a lower-status word like 'санитар'; it is a respected professional title.
- Avoid translating 'няня' (nanny/childminder) as 'nurse'; a nurse has medical training.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'She is a nurse in a kindergarten.' (Correct: 'She works in a kindergarten.' or 'She is a nursery nurse.')
- Incorrect: 'I will nurse my son until he is two.' (Ambiguous; better: 'I will breastfeed...' or 'I will care for...').
- Incorrect: 'He nursed the glass.' (Possible but unusual; 'He nursed his drink' is the idiom).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'nurse' used metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'nurse' is a gender-neutral professional title. While the majority are women, men in the profession are also called nurses. The term 'male nurse' is sometimes used for specificity but is not the official title.
A doctor (physician) diagnoses conditions and prescribes treatment. A nurse provides and coordinates patient care, administers medication, monitors patient health, and assists doctors. Their training and primary responsibilities differ.
Yes, it can, but this is now a slightly formal or dated usage. In modern everyday English, 'to breastfeed' is more common and precise. 'To nurse' more broadly means to care for or foster growth.
Yes. As a verb, it means to care for someone who is ill or injured, to hold something carefully (e.g., a drink), or to foster the development of something (e.g., an idea, a talent).
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