Nurse shark

Nurse shark
Nurse Nurse (n[^u]rs), n. [OE. nourse, nurice, norice, OF. nurrice, norrice, nourrice, F. nourrice, fr. L. nutricia nurse, prop., fem. of nutricius that nourishes; akin to nutrix, -icis, nurse, fr. nutrire to nourish. See {Nourish}, and cf. {Nutritious}.] 1. One who nourishes; a person who supplies food, tends, or brings up; as: (a) A woman who has the care of young children; especially, one who suckles an infant not her own. (b) A person, especially a woman, who has the care of the sick or infirm. [1913 Webster]

2. One who, or that which, brings up, rears, causes to grow, trains, fosters, or the like. [1913 Webster]

The nurse of manly sentiment and heroic enterprise. --Burke. [1913 Webster]

3. (Naut.) A lieutenant or first officer, who is the real commander when the captain is unfit for his place. [1913 Webster]

4. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A peculiar larva of certain trematodes which produces cercari[ae] by asexual reproduction. See {Cercaria}, and {Redia}. (b) Either one of the nurse sharks. [1913 Webster]

{Nurse shark}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A large arctic shark ({Somniosus microcephalus}), having small teeth and feeble jaws; -- called also {sleeper shark}, and {ground shark}. (b) A large shark ({Ginglymostoma cirratum}), native of the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico, having the dorsal fins situated behind the ventral fins.

{To put to nurse}, or {To put out to nurse}, to send away to be nursed; to place in the care of a nurse.

{Wet nurse}, {Dry nurse}. See {Wet nurse}, and {Dry nurse}, in the Vocabulary. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nurse shark — Shark Shark, n. [Of uncertain origin; perhaps through OF. fr. carcharus a kind of dogfish, Gr. karchari as, so called from its sharp teeth, fr. ka rcharos having sharp or jagged teeth; or perhaps named from its rapacity (cf. {Shark}, v. t. & i.); …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • nurse shark — nurse′ shark n. ich any scavenging shark of the family Orectolobidae, having a barbel and deep groove at either side of the mouth, esp Ginglymostoma cirratum[/ex] • Etymology: 1850–55 …   From formal English to slang

  • Nurse shark — Not to be confused with grey nurse shark. Nurse shark Temporal range: 112–0 Ma …   Wikipedia

  • nurse shark — noun small bottom dwelling shark of warm shallow waters on both coasts of North America and South America and from southeast Asia to Australia • Syn: ↑Ginglymostoma cirratum • Hypernyms: ↑shark • Member Holonyms: ↑Ginglymostoma, ↑genus… …   Useful english dictionary

  • nurse shark — any of several sharks of the family Orectolobidae, esp. Ginglymostoma cirratum, occurring in shallow waters from Rhode Island to Brazil and the Gulf of California to Ecuador. [1850 55; allegedly so called because the male habitually hangs on to… …   Universalium

  • nurse shark — arktinis ryklys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Somniosus microcephalus angl. Greenland shark; ground shark; Gurry shark; nurse shark; sleeper shark rus. атлантическая полярная акула; гренландская… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • nurse shark — ūsuotasis ryklys auklė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Ginglymostoma cirratum angl. nurse shark rus. ковровая акула; усатая акула; усатая акула нянька ryšiai: platesnis terminas – ūsuotieji rykliai… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • nurse shark — noun Etymology: alteration of nusse Date: 1851 any of various sharks (as family Ginglymostomatidae); especially a shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) of warm waters …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • nurse shark — noun a slow moving shark with barbels on the snout. [Ginglymostoma cirratum (Atlantic) and other species.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • nurse shark — /ˈnɜs ʃak/ (say ners shahk) noun any shark of the widely distributed family Orectolobidae, having a groove on each side of the head …  

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