nurture
gb/nˈɚt͡ʃɚ/ us/nˈɚt͡ʃɚ/
B2
Anglais
~ 5600
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
B2
action
1
care for and help grow
to take care of a person, animal, or thing and help them grow or develop well
Schéma d’usage :
to nurture [someone/something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "nurture" only for talking about babies or children, but it is also very common with abstract things like "nurture talent" or "nurture a relationship". Another mistake is using it without an object; it is almost always transitive (you nurture someone or something, not just "nurture" alone).
Synonymes
foster (Often used for encouraging development in a more formal or institutional way, for example in education or policy.)
Antonymes
neglect (Describes failing to give care or attention that is needed, which is the opposite of nurturing someone or something.)
Collocations
nurture a child
|nurture talent
|nurture a relationship
|nurture creativity
|nurture growth
|nurture young plants
Thèmes
family
|education
|personal_development
|work
|daily_life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Good teachers nurture their students' curiosity and confidence.
- The couple worked hard to nurture a strong and trusting relationship.
- The community garden project aims to nurture both plants and neighborhood connections.
- Parents have a responsibility to nurture their children's physical and emotional health.
- The manager tried to nurture a culture of openness and respect in the team.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She stayed home to nurture her baby.
- We must nurture this tree if we want it to live.
- His coach nurtured his love of football.
- They nurture their friendship by talking every week.
- The school tries to nurture every student.
Nom
B2
entity
2
care and support for growth
the care and help that someone gives to help a person, animal, or thing grow or develop well
Schéma d’usage :
to need/receive/provide nurture
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "a nurture" as a countable noun (e.g. *"a good nurture"), but it is usually uncountable and used without an article. Use phrases like "good nurture" or "a lot of nurture" instead.
Synonymes
care (A broader, more general word; it does not always include the idea of long-term development that "nurture" suggests.)
Antonymes
neglect (Refers to a lack of necessary care or attention, which contrasts with the supportive care implied by "nurture".)
Collocations
care and nurture
|love and nurture
|need nurture
|provide nurture
|receive nurture
|emotional nurture
Thèmes
family
|emotions
|education
|health
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Children need both love and nurture to feel secure.
- The shelter provides food, medical help, and emotional nurture for abandoned animals.
- Without proper nurture, his natural talent might have been wasted.
- She found the nurture she had missed as a child in her close group of friends.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Young children need a lot of nurture.
- The small bird survived because of his careful nurture.
- She gives her students both knowledge and nurture.
- Plants also need nurture, not only water.
- He grew up without much nurture at home.
Verbe
C1
action
3
encourage a feeling or idea
to let a feeling or idea grow slowly by thinking about it or supporting it for a long time
Schéma d’usage :
to nurture [a feeling/idea/quality]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse this abstract sense with the more concrete sense of caring for children or plants. When the object is a feeling or idea (like "ambition", "hope", "hatred"), the meaning is mental and emotional, not physical care.
Synonymes
cultivate (Often slightly more formal; frequently used with feelings or skills, such as "cultivate patience" or "cultivate an image".)
Antonymes
suppress (Means to stop or hold down a feeling or idea, which is the opposite of helping it grow.)
Collocations
nurture resentment
|nurture ambition
|nurture hope
|nurture dreams
|nurture an idea
|nurture a sense of belonging
Thèmes
emotions
|thinking
|personal_development
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Over the years, he nurtured a deep resentment toward his former boss.
- The company tries to nurture a strong sense of community among its employees.
- She nurtured the idea for her novel quietly until she was ready to write.
- Parents can nurture curiosity by welcoming their children's questions.
- If you constantly replay the insult in your mind, you only nurture the hurt.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He nurtured a secret wish to travel the world.
- Try not to nurture angry thoughts.
- The school wants to nurture a love of reading.
- She nurtures hope that they will meet again.
- We should nurture positive ideas, not negative ones.
Nom
technical
C1
entity
4
environment and upbringing influence
the things in a person's life, like family, school, and culture, that shape how they grow and behave, not including their genes
Schéma d’usage :
nature versus nurture
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think "nurture" here means only the love or care from parents. In the phrase "nature versus nurture", it more broadly includes all environmental and social influences, not just parental care.
Synonymes
environment (A broader everyday term; in this context it refers to the surroundings and experiences that affect development, similar to "nurture" in the "nature vs nurture" contrast.)
Antonymes
nature (In this specific contrast, "nature" refers to genetic factors, which are opposed to the environmental factors referred to as "nurture".)
Collocations
nature and nurture
|nature versus nurture debate
|influence of nurture
|role of nurture
|impact of nurture
Thèmes
psychology
|science
|education
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The classic question in psychology is how much of our behavior is shaped by nature and how much by nurture.
- Researchers still debate the relative influence of nurture on intelligence.
- Her success seemed to be a product of both nature and nurture.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Scientists talk about nature and nurture when they study people.
- Some think talent comes from nature, others say it is from nurture.
- The debate about nature versus nurture is very old.
- Both nature and nurture affect how we act.
- Nurture includes family, school, and culture.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
nurture
API
GB/nˈɚt͡ʃɚ/
US/nˈɚt͡ʃɚ/
Syllabes et accentuation
nur - ture (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (nur)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: nurture
- Plural: nurture
Verb
- Base: nurture
- 3rd Person Singular: nurtures
- Present Participle: nurturing
- Past: nurtured
Famille de mots
Forms
nurtures
verb
nurturing
verb
nurtured
verb
Related words
nurturer
noun
Negative and opposite forms
neglect
verb B1
Advanced or less common
nurturance
noun
Expressions
nature versus nurture
1/nˈeɪt͡ʃɚ vˈɚsəz nˈɚt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
genes versus environment debate
a way to talk about whether a person's character and abilities come more from their genes (nature) or from their life experiences and upbringing (nurture)
Exemples
- The film explores the question of nature versus nurture in the making of a criminal.
- In class we discussed nature versus nurture and how both shape personality.
- Her story is often used in textbooks to illustrate the nature-versus-nurture debate.