ˈnouriture Now rare or Obs.
Forms: α. 4–6 noriture (5 -tur), 5 nore-, norry-, 6 nory-, norriture. β. 6 nurry-, nurriture (-tor, -tour), 6–7 nuriture. γ. 5 nowry-, 6 noury-, 5–9 nouriture (6 -tour). δ. 6–9 nourriture.
[a. OF. norreture, noureture, etc. (mod.F. nourriture): cf. late L. nūtrītūra, f. nūtrīre to nourish.]
1. Nourishment, sustenance, food.
| α c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 768 How shold a plaunte, or lyves creature, Lyve withouten his kynde noriture? 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love i. i. (Skeat) I. 34 How shulde the ground, without kyndly noriture, bringen forth any frutes? 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 364 b/1 She sawe wel that she myght not haue..the noreture of holy scrypture. 1565 J. Calfhill Answ. Martiall (1846) 72 In the first proposition,..the necessity of Sacraments and of noriture, to be compared together. |
| β 1548 Geste Pr. Masse 75 The verye ghostely nurryture and foode bothe of our bodyes and soules. 1581 Mulcaster Positions vi. (1887) 47 For inward bestowing of nurriture, and maintenaunce of life. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iv. 165 The Turkes..consume the wealth of the people they ouercome, leauing them destitute of nuriture. |
| γ 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 423 b/1 They took theyr refeccion or food of nouriture dyuyne. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. ii. 73 To cal it a certain nouriture, that allureth..to sinne. 1581 Marbeck Book of Notes 1062 The whole and perfect spiritual nouritour, which we haue by the..bloud of Jesus Christ. 1607 J. Norden Surv. Dial. v. 189 So will the weedes..beginne to wither, as they are depriued of their nouriture. 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (1729) 228 The Consumption of that inspiriting balsamick Nouriture, by reason of dry Heat. 1713 Guardian No. 171, I put nothing in it but what is clean and wholsom nouriture. 1743 H. Walpole Lett. (1903) I. 372, I have contracted a most religious veneration for your spiritual nouriture. 1845 T. Cooper Purgatory Suicides (1877) 52 Thou feddst the mind and heart with virtue's nouriture. |
| δ 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iii. (1586) 143 If wee should make mention of this first Nourriture [etc.]. c 1645 Howell Lett. i. xxv, I think if you saw me, you would hardly know me, such nourriture this deep Sanguin Alicant Grape gives. 1654–66 Earl of Orrery Parthen. (1676) 228 Water of so excellent a quality, that its Nourriture was Iron. 1737 Common Sense I. 198 The gold, no doubt,..may be exchanged for convenient Necessaries, and a comfortable Nourriture. 1800 F. Burney Lett. 27 Apr., All sorts of nourriture or clothing seem to rise [in price]..without any adequate cause. [1848 D. Borrer Campaign Kabylie vi. 92 Receiving their nourriture from the hand of the Most High.] |
† 2. Nurture, upbringing.
Obs.| c 1400 Beryn 841 A wyff like to his parage; For noriture & connyng, bewte, & parentyne. 1470–85 Malory Arthur 6 Of the byrthe of kyng arthur and of his nouryture. 1527 Inv. Wardr. Henry Fitzroy (1855) 44 By example of good education, as well in noryture as good lernyng. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. ix. 5 He had charge my discipline to frame, And Tutors nouriture to oversee. 1647 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. lxiv. (1739) 129 The Child of a King, that by good nouriture might prove a wise and just King. |
Hence
† ˈnouritured ppl. a., brought up, nurtured;
† ˈnourituring vbl. n., upbringing.
Obs.| c 1500 Melusine 259 She that was wel nourrytured held her two children tofore geffray. 1555 W. Watreman Fardle Facions ii. vii. 158 For their nourituryng and trainyng in good maners, thei haue appoincted them masters. |