to nurture or rear (e.g. a child or animal)
to encourage the growth of or foster (something)
teachers that can nourish talent in their pupils
bitter memories that nourished his hatred
to provide (e.g. soil or a plant) with nutriment
to cherish or entertain (an idea, feeling, etc)
She had long nourished a desire to write
nourisher noun
nourishing adj
[Middle English via Old French from Latin nutrire to suckle, nourish]