# nurse

/ˈnɝs/ (US) · /nˈɜːs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nurse
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. medical professional

noun · CEFR A1

a person whose job is to care for people who are ill or injured, usually in a hospital.

For teachers: a person formally educated and trained in the care of the sick or infirm, typically working under the supervision of a physician.

- The nurse checked my temperature and gave me some medicine.
- After the surgery, a dedicated nurse monitored the patient's vital signs every hour to ensure there were no complications.

### 2. childcare provider

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

someone, often a woman, who is paid to look after other people's children.

For teachers: a person employed to provide primary care and supervision for children in a private household.

- The wealthy family hired a nurse to help look after the newborn baby.
- In the early twentieth century, it was common for aristocratic families to employ a nursery nurse to oversee the children's daily routines.

### 3. to care for the sick

verb · CEFR B1

to look after someone who is sick or injured.

For teachers: to provide medical or supportive care to an ill or injured person.

- She stayed home for a week to nurse her husband back to health.
- The volunteers worked tirelessly to nurse the rescued animals until they were strong enough to be released into the wild.

### 4. to breastfeed

verb · CEFR B2

to feed a baby with milk from the breast.

For teachers: to feed an infant at the breast; used both transitively for the mother and intransitively for the infant.

- The mother sat quietly in the park to nurse her baby.
- Health organisations often recommend that mothers nurse their infants for at least the first six months of life.

### 5. to drink slowly

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to drink something very slowly, often to make it last a long time.

For teachers: to consume a beverage in small sips over an extended period, typically to prolong the experience or stay in a social setting.

- He sat at the corner table and nursed a single cup of coffee for two hours.
- Rather than ordering another round, she spent the rest of the evening nursing her glass of wine while listening to the jazz band.

## Examples

- The nurse checks my blood pressure every morning.
- After the surgery, a dedicated nurse stayed by the patient's side to monitor her recovery and manage her pain.
- Modern healthcare systems rely heavily on the expertise of the registered nurse, who often serves as the primary point of contact between the patient and the broader medical team.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.