1. (v. t.) To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up.

2. (v. t.) To cherish; to promote the growth of; to encourage; to sustain and promote; as, to foster genius.

3. (v. i.) To be nourished or trained up together.

4. (v. t.) Relating to nourishment; affording, receiving, or sharing nourishment or nurture; -- applied to father, mother, child, brother, etc., to indicate that the person so called stands in the relation of parent, child, brother, etc., as regards sustenance and nurture, but not by tie of blood.

5. (n.) A forester.

6. (n.) One who, or that which, fosters.

abet accommodate acculturate actuate advance affiliated agnate aid aid and abet akin aliment allied ameliorate amend animate apprentice ask for assist attend to avuncular baby-sit back bear better boost bosom break break in breast-feed breed bring forward bring up care for champion chaperon cherish civilize cling to clip closely related coddle cognate collateral compel condition congeneric consanguine consanguinean consanguineous conserve contribute to cosset countenance cradle cultivate develop discipline distantly related drill dry-nurse edify educate elevate embosom embrace emend enate encourage energize enhance enlighten enrich entertain exercise fatten fatten up favor feed fetch up fit fondle force force-feed form forward further galvanize german germane give encouragement go straight groom harbor hasten have have and hold help hold hold on to house house-train housebreak hug impel improve improve upon invite keep keep in countenance keep watch over kindred lactate lard lavish care on lick into shape lift lodge look after look out for look to maintain make an improvement matrilateral matrilineal matroclinous matronize meliorate mend mind minister to mother motivate move move to action nourish novercal nurse nurture nutrify oblige of the blood pamper patrilateral patrilineal patroclinous patronize practice prepare preserve promote propel protege provide for put in tune put to school raise ready rear refine upon reform rehearse related ride herd on see after see to send to school serve set in motion shelter shepherd sib sibling socialize spark spoon-feed stimulate straighten out stuff succor suckle support sustain take care of take charge of take in hand tend train transfigure transform treasure treasure up upgrade uphold uplift uterine watch watch out for watch over wet-nurse