Words / C1

NURCH-uh/ˈnɜːtʃə/

To nurture is to care for something so that it can develop: nurture talent, a nurturing environment. Also a noun (nature versus nurture). Care for is everyday; nourish (this batch) is feed/keep alive. Nature is what you are born with. Do not nurture a virus in a methods joke unless you mean it.

Meaning

To care for and help someone or something develop.

Examples

• “The lab nurtured two postdocs who later ran their own groups.”
• “The lab nurtured two postdocs who later ran clean, dull, replicable groups.”
• “Nature vs nurture is the old pairing. Care for is everyday; nourish can be food or a grudge. A nurturing tone still needs a budget line.”

Good to know

Care for so it can grow. Noun: nurture (vs nature). Everyday: care for. Cousin: nourish. Not a substitute for pay and supervision.

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