nurse
gb/nˈɚs/ us/nˈɚs/
A2
English
~ 1800
ápoló, nővér, ápol, szoptat, dédelget, gyarapítgat, kortyolgat
NOUN
A2
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] works as a nurse
The nurse checked my blood pressure before the doctor came in.
Az ápoló megmérte a vérnyomásomat, mielőtt bejött az orvos.
She has been working as a nurse for over ten years.
Több mint tíz éve dolgozik ápolóként.
The hospital is hiring more nurses to handle the increased number of patients.
A nurse helped him walk after his surgery.
The nurse administered the medication on time.
Learner examples
The nurse gave me some medicine.
Az ápoló adott nekem gyógyszert.
My sister is a nurse at the city hospital.
A nővérem ápoló a városi kórházban.
A nurse helped the old man cross the room.
The nurse took my temperature.
He wants to be a nurse when he grows up.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'nurse' with 'doctor'. A nurse usually follows a doctor's instructions and provides ongoing care, while a doctor diagnoses and prescribes treatment.
Meaning
A person who cares for sick people
Collocations
registered nurse
|nurse practitioner
|nurse station
|staff nurse
|nurse training
Synonyms
caregiver (Broader term that can include non-medical care providers, such as family members.)
Antonyms
patient (Opposite role in the healthcare setting; the one receiving care instead of giving it.)
Themes
healthcare
|work
|daily life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person whose job is to help sick or hurt people, usually in a hospital.
A person trained and licensed to care for the sick or injured, especially in a hospital or clinic, often under the supervision of a doctor.
VERB
B1
2
ápol
B1
Usage pattern:
to nurse [someone/something] back to health
She stayed home to nurse her child through the flu.
Otthon maradt, hogy ápolja influenzás gyermekét.
He nursed his elderly father after the operation.
A műtét után ápolta idős apját.
Volunteers helped nurse the wounded after the accident.
Learner examples
She nursed her mother when she was sick.
Ápolta az édesanyját a betegsége alatt.
He stayed home to nurse his son.
Otthon maradt, hogy ápolja a fiát.
I helped nurse my friend after her accident.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with breastfeeding, which is another meaning of 'nurse'. Context determines which meaning is intended.
Meaning
To care for a sick person
Collocations
nurse back to health
|nurse an injury
|nurse the sick
Synonyms
tend (Slightly more formal; often used in literary or older contexts for taking care of someone.)
Antonyms
neglect (To fail to provide necessary care.)
Themes
healthcare
|daily life
|health
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To take care of someone who is sick or hurt.
To give medical or personal care to someone who is ill or injured.
VERB
B1
3
szoptat
B1
Usage pattern:
to nurse [a baby]
She nursed her baby every three hours.
Három óránként szoptatta a kisbabáját.
The mother sat quietly in the corner to nurse her child.
Az anya csendben leült a sarokba, hogy megszoptassa a gyermekét.
Some women choose to nurse for over a year.
Learner examples
She nursed her baby before bed.
Lefekvés előtt megszoptatta a kisbabáját.
The mother is nursing her newborn.
Az anya éppen szoptatja az újszülöttjét.
She likes to nurse her baby in a quiet room.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this meaning with caring for someone who is sick. In this context, 'nurse' specifically means breastfeeding.
Meaning
To breastfeed a baby
Collocations
nurse a newborn
|nurse in public
|nurse during the night
Synonyms
breastfeed (Exact synonym; often more common in formal health contexts.)
Antonyms
wean (To stop feeding a baby with breast milk.)
Themes
family
|healthcare
|health
|body
|daily_life
Definition
When a mother gives her baby milk from her breast.
To feed a baby with milk directly from the mother's breast.
VERB
B2
4
dédelget
B2
gyarapítgat
B2
Usage pattern:
to nurse [something] carefully
He nursed his ambition to start his own company.
Azt az ambícióját dédelgette, hogy saját céget alapítson.
She nursed a small savings account until it grew into enough for a down payment.
Gondosan gyarapítgatta a kis megtakarítását, amíg össze nem gyűlt belőle a kezdőrészletre való.
They nursed their idea for years before acting on it.
Learner examples
He nursed his plan for many years.
Éveken át dédelgette a tervét.
She nursed her dream until it came true.
Addig dédelgette az álmát, amíg valóra nem vált.
They nursed their money carefully.
Meaning
To protect something carefully over time
Collocations
nurse a dream
|nurse an ambition
|nurse resources
Synonyms
cherish (Implies emotional attachment as well as care.)
Antonyms
squander (To waste something instead of protecting it.)
Themes
care
|daily life
|daily_life
|work
|business
Definition
To keep something safe and take care of it for a long time.
To hold onto or manage something with great care over a period of time, often to preserve or develop it.
VERB
B2
5
kortyolgat
B1
Usage pattern:
to nurse [a drink]
He sat at the bar nursing a beer for hours.
Órákig ült a bárpultnál, és egy sört kortyolgatott.
She nursed her coffee while waiting for him to arrive.
A kávéját kortyolgatta, miközben arra várt, hogy megérkezzen.
They nursed their drinks and chatted until closing time.
Learner examples
He nursed his tea slowly.
Lassan kortyolgatta a teáját.
She nursed her coffee while reading.
Olvasás közben a kávéját kortyolgatta.
I nursed my juice during the meeting.
Meaning
To drink something slowly over time
Collocations
nurse a beer
|nurse a cup of coffee
Synonyms
sip (Focuses on taking small drinks, not necessarily over an extended period.)
Antonyms
gulp down (To drink quickly in large amounts.)
Themes
daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To drink something very slowly so it lasts longer.
To consume a drink very slowly, making it last for a long time.
Grammar
Dictionary form
nurse
IPA
GB/nˈɚs/
US/nˈɚs/
Syllables & stress
nurse (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (nurse)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: nurse
- Plural: nurses
Verb
- Base: nurse
- 3rd Person Singular: nurses
- Present Participle: nursing
- Past: nursed
Word family
Expressions
male nurse
1/mˈeɪl nˈɚs/
fixed phrase
Man who works as a nurse
A man whose job is to help sick or hurt people in a hospital or clinic.
Examples
- He is proud to be a male nurse in the emergency department.
- The male nurse checked her vital signs.
nurse an injury
1/nˈɚs ən ˈɪnd͡ʒɚi/
fixed phrase
Care for an injury over time
To look after an injury until it gets better, often avoiding activities that could make it worse.
Examples
- He's been nursing an injury since last season.
- She stayed home to nurse her sprained ankle.
nurse back to health
1/nˈɚs bˈæk tə hˈɛlθ/
fixed phrase
Help someone get well again
To take care of someone until they are healthy again after being sick or hurt.
Examples
- She nursed her friend back to health after the accident.
- The volunteers worked hard to nurse the injured dog back to health.
wet nurse
1/wˈɛt nˈɚs/
fixed phrase
Woman who breastfeeds another's baby
A woman who gives her breast milk to feed another woman's baby, usually as a job.
Examples
- In the past, wealthy families often hired wet nurses.
- She worked as a wet nurse for two infants.
nurse a grudge
1/nˈɚs ə ɡɹˈʌd͡ʒ/
idiom
Hold onto anger toward someone
To stay angry at someone for something they did, even after a long time.
Examples
- He still nurses a grudge against his old boss.
- Instead of nursing a grudge, he decided to talk to his friend and fix the problem.
- It's not healthy to nurse grudges for years.
- She has nursed a grudge since their argument last year.