'Foster' definitions:

Definition of 'foster'

(from WordNet)
adjective
Providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties; "foster parent"; "foster child"; "foster home"; "surrogate father" [syn: foster, surrogate]
noun
United States songwriter whose songs embody the sentiment of the South before the American Civil War (1826-1864) [syn: Foster, Stephen Foster, Stephen Collins Foster]
verb
Promote the growth of; "Foster our children's well-being and education" [syn: foster, further]
verb
Bring up under fosterage; of children
verb
Help develop, help grow; "nurture his talents" [syn: foster, nurture]

Definition of 'Foster'

From: GCIDE
  • Foster \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. [1913 Webster]
  • Some say that ravens foster forlorn children. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To cherish; to promote the growth of; to encourage; to sustain and promote; as, to foster genius. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Foster'

From: GCIDE
  • Foster \Fos"ter\, v. i. To be nourished or trained up together. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Foster'

From: GCIDE
  • Foster \Fos"ter\, n. A forester. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Foster'

From: GCIDE
  • Foster \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. [1913 Webster]
  • Foster babe or Foster child, an infant or child nursed or raised 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. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'foster'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Foster, NE -- U.S. village in Nebraska

From: Gazetteer 2000
Name :
Foster, NE -- U.S. village in Nebraska
Population (2000) :
63
Housing Units (2000) :
34
Land area (2000) :
0.216290 sq. miles (0.560188 sq. km)
Water area (2000) :
0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000) :
0.216290 sq. miles (0.560188 sq. km)
FIPS code :
17320
Located within :
Nebraska (NE), FIPS 31
Location :
42.273681 N, 97.665357 W
ZIP Codes (1990) :
68737
Note :
some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.

Foster, MO -- U.S. village in Missouri

From: Gazetteer 2000
Name :
Foster, MO -- U.S. village in Missouri
Population (2000) :
130
Housing Units (2000) :
63
Land area (2000) :
0.468388 sq. miles (1.213119 sq. km)
Water area (2000) :
0.004659 sq. miles (0.012067 sq. km)
Total area (2000) :
0.473047 sq. miles (1.225186 sq. km)
FIPS code :
25372
Located within :
Missouri (MO), FIPS 29
Location :
38.165674 N, 94.507017 W
ZIP Codes (1990) :
64745
Note :
some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.

Foster -- U.S. County in North Dakota

From: Gazetteer 2000
Name :
Foster -- U.S. County in North Dakota
Population (2000) :
3759
Housing Units (2000) :
1793
Land area (2000) :
635.200527 sq. miles (1645.161743 sq. km)
Water area (2000) :
11.516196 sq. miles (29.826810 sq. km)
Total area (2000) :
646.716723 sq. miles (1674.988553 sq. km)
Located within :
North Dakota (ND), FIPS 38
Location :
47.464369 N, 98.894282 W

Words containing 'Foster'