Definitions for: Foster


[n] United States songwriter whose songs embody the sentiment of the South before the American Civil War (1826-1864)
[adj] providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties; "foster parent"; "foster child"; "foster home"; "surrogate father"
[v] help develop, help grow
[v] bring up under fosterage; of children
[v] promote the growth of; "Foster our children's well-being and education"



Webster (1913) Definition: Fos"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fostered, p. pr. & vb.
n. Fostering.] [OE. fostren, fr. AS. f[=o]ster, f[=o]stor,
food, nourishment, fr. f[=o]da food. [root]75. See Food.]
1. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up.

Some say that ravens foster forlorn children.
--Shak.

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


Fos"ter, v. i.
To be nourished or trained up together. [Obs.] --Spenser.


Fos"ter, a. [AS. f[=o]ster, f[=o]stor, nourishment. See
Foster, 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.

Foster babe, or child, an infant of child nursed by a
woman not its mother, or bred by a man not its father.

Foster brother, Foster sister, one who is, or has been,
nursed at the same breast, or brought up by the same nurse
as another, but is not of the same parentage.

Foster dam, one who takes the place of a mother; a nurse.
--Dryden.

Foster earth, earth by which a plant is nourished, though
not its native soil. --J. Philips.

Foster father, a man who takes the place of a father in
caring for a child. --Bacon.

Foster land.
(a) Land allotted for the maintenance of any one. [Obs.]
(b) One's adopted country.

Foster lean [foster + AS. l[ae]n a loan See Loan.],
remuneration fixed for the rearing of a foster child;
also, the jointure of a wife. [Obs.] --Wharton.

Foster mother, a woman who takes a mother's place in the
nurture and care of a child; a nurse.

Foster nurse, a nurse; a nourisher. [R.] --Shak.

Foster parent, a foster mother or foster father.

Foster son, a male foster child.


Fos"ter, n.
A forester. [Obs.] --Spenser.


Fos"ter, n.
One who, or that which, fosters.

Synonyms: adoptive, further, nurture, Stephen Collins Foster, Stephen Foster, surrogate

See Also: advance, ballad maker, boost, bring up, encourage, encourage, keep going, nurture, parent, patronage, patronise, patronize, promote, raise, rear, serve, serve well, songster, songwriter, support

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