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To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up. Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. Shak.

The care of a foster child; the charge of nursing. Sir W. Raleigh.

One who, or that which, fosters.

A foster child.

Food; nourishment. [Obs.]

Paralysis of the motor nerves; loss of movement. Foster.

cting the conversion of starch into soluble dextrin and sugar; as, an amylolytic ferment. Foster.

tructive or anabolic processes, in the production of protoplasm; -- opposed to katastate. Foster.

of the positive electrode or anode on the passage of a current of electricity through it. Foster.

ich the players bid for the privilege of determining or "pitching" the trump suit. R. F. Foster.

To take care of in infancy, and through the age of youth; to bring up; to nurse and foster. To bring thee forth with pain, with care to breed. Dryden. Born and bred on the verge of the wilderness. Everett.

To hold dear; to embrace with interest; to indulge; to encourage; to foster; to promote; as, to cherish religious principle. To cherish virtue and humanity. Burke.

The state or quality of being commensurate. Foster.

To direct special attention to; to devote time and thought to; to foster; to cherish. Leisure . . . to cultivate general literature. Wordsworth.

Bestowal of time or attention for self-improvement or for the benefit of others; fostering care.

promptness and decision. A noble instance of this attribute of the decisive character. J. Foster.

Observing distinctions; making differences; discriminating. "Discriminative censure." J. Foster. "Discriminative Providence." Dr. H. More.

With discrimination or distinction. J. Foster.

To deal in dissertation; to write dissertations; to discourse. [R.] J. Foster.

To take into, or place in, the bosom; to cherish; to foster. Glad to embosom his affection. Spenser.