† nourice, n. Obs.
Forms: α. 3, 6–7 nurice (6 -rice), 4 -yse, 5–6 -ys, 6 Sc. -is(s, 5 -ess, 6 Sc. -eis, nwreis. β. 3–6 norice, 4 -iche, 4–6 -yce, 4 -isse, 4–6 -ise, 4–5 -yse, 5 -ys(s(e, -e(i)s. γ. 4, 6– nourice, 5–6 -yce, -ysse, 6 -ise; 4 nowrise, -ys; 8 nooriss.
[a. OF. nurice, -isce, nor(r)ice, noriche, nour(r)ice, = Prov. noir-, nuirissa, Catal. nudrissa, Sp. nod-, nudriza:—late L. nūtrīcia, fem. of nūtrīcius, f. nūtrīc-em, nūtrix, f. nūtrīre to nourish. L. nūtrīcem is represented by lt. nut-, not-, nud-, nodrice, Sp. nut-, nodriz. Cf. nourish n. and nurse n.]
A nurse. Also attrib. in nourice-fee, nourice-milk.
| α a 1225 Ancr. R. 82 Heo makeð of hire tunge cradel to þes deofles bearn, & rockeð hit ȝeorneliche ase nurice. c 1230 Hali Meid. 37 Þah þu riche beo, & nurice habbe. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machor) 47 He tuk þe child hym til, & gat a nuryse gud in hy. 1440 Alph. Tales 216 He tuke ane offrand hym selfe and gaff vnto þer nuress. 1515 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. V. 10 Bocht..for my lord duke's nurys, to be hir ane goune. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. ii. 146 Eder..be the ingine and the industrie of his nurice was preseruet. c 1620 A. Hume Brit. Tongue (1865) 19 Nurice, from nutrix, quhilk the south calles nurse, not without a falt both in sound and symbol. |
| β c 1290 St. Lucy 61 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 102 He wende to seinte lucies norice. 1340 Ayenb. 60 Þe blonderes byeþ þe dyeules noriches, þet his children yeueþ zouke. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 449 Þis Clitus his suster was Alisaundre his norise. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) v. iii. 93 That blysful lady Mary was very moder and noryce of Ihesu goddes sone. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 44/2 Thenne they lete her goo and her noryce wyth her. 1541 Elyot Cast. Helthe ii. xxv. 40 b, Their noryces shall perceyve what dygesteth welle. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 196 By meane of a false Norice, he was stollen out of his Cradell. |
| γ c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvi. (Nicholas) 40 Na one fryday bot anys wald he þe nowrys suk. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 251/2 One named Concordia Nouryce of Ypolyte answerd for them alle. 1530 Palsgr. 577/2 She is worthy to be a nouryce, she can handell a chylde dayntely. 1599 Jas. I Basilikon Doron (1603) 45 Drinking in with their very nouris-milke that their honor stood in committing three points of iniquitie. 1600 Holland Livy iii. xlviii. 120 To enquire of her nourice the truth of this matter. 1768 Ross Helenore (1812) 68 Then sud she gae frae head to foot in silk; Wi' castings rare, and a gueed nooriss-fee, To nurse the king of Elfin's heir. |
b. In figurative uses.
| β c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶874 Slepyng long in grete quyete is eke a grete Norice to lecherie. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 4813 Loue is norice of welþe and of gladnesse. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 245 b, The not deliuery of the same should be the norice and continuer of warre and hostilitie. 1550 J. Coke Eng. & Fr. Herald. §1 (1877) 55 Idlenes, norise of vyces. |
| γ 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) ii. v. 92 Charyte is..moder and nouryce and y⊇ lyght of these other vertues. 1576 Gascoigne Steele Gl. (Arb.) 60 Gold, which is..The neast of strife, and nourice of debate. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. xx. viii. 156 But putting aside flatterie, the very nourice of vices, set your mind upon iustice. 1612 Selden Illustr. Drayton's Poly-olb. A iij b, That most learned Nourice of Antiquitie..Mr. Camden. |
Hence
† ˈnourice v., to nurse.
† ˈnouriceship, the office of a nurse.
Obs.| 1588 Greene Perimedes H j b, The Syren Venus nourist in hir lap Faire Adon. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. iii, ‘What is her connection with the former proprietor's family?’ ‘O, it was something of a nourice-ship, I believe’. |