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To caress; to fondle, as a nurse does. A. Trollope. To nurse billiard balls, to strike them gently and so as to keep them in good position during a series of caroms.

One who, or that which, is nursed; an infant; a fondling. I was his nursling once, and choice delight. Milton.

To fondle; to cherish. [Obs.]

o had accidentally looked upon a nymph; ecstasy. [R.] De Quincey. The nympholepsy of some fond despair. Byron.

To view or look at with side glances, as in fondness, or with a design to attract notice. And ogling all their audience, ere they speak. Dryden.

At some one period of time; -- used indefinitely. My soul had once some foolish fondness for thee. Addison. That court which we shall once govern. Bp. Hall.

One fond of his own opinious; one who holds an opinion. [Obs.] Glanvill.

One fond of his own notions, or unduly attached to his own opinions. Glanvill.

Fond of, or evincing, ostentation; unduly conspicuous; pretentious; boastful. Far from being ostentatious of the good you do. Dryden. The ostentatious professions of many years. Macaulay. -- Os`ten*ta"tious*ly, adv. -- Os`ten*ta"tious*ness, n.

One fond of display; a boaster. Sherwood.

Having a predelection for; inclined to favor unreasonably; foolishly fond. "A partial parent." Pope. Not partial to an ostentatious display. Sir W. Scott.

war, or for drink; an orator should have passion as well as rhetorical skill. "A passion fond even to idolatry." Macaulay. "Her passion is to seek roses." Lady M. W. Montagu. We also are men of like passions with you. Acts xiv. 15. The nature of the human mind can not be sufficiently understood, without considering th…

ce, figuratively, a right, privilege, or license of the nature of a patent. If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend. Shak.

To pass the paw over; to stroke or handle with the paws; hence, to handle fondly or rudely.

Any person or animal especially cherished and indulged; a fondling; a darling; often, a favorite child. The love of cronies, pets, and favorites. Tatler.

See Packfong.

Of or pertaining to the Phæacians, a fabulous seafaring people fond of the feast, the lyre, and the dance, mentioned by Homer.

A combining form from Gr. fi`los loving, fond of, attached to; as, philosophy, philotechnic.

Fondness for women; uxoriousness; -- opposed to Ant: misogyny. [R.] Byron.

Fond of polemics or controversy. [R.]