† nurse-tendv.
Obsolete.
1. transitive. To tend (a sick or infirm person) as a nurse does.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > art or science of medicine > practice of healing art > practise the healing art [verb (transitive)] > tend the sick
to look to ——a1450
norrya1450
watch1526
attendc1572
assist1664
nurse1751
nurse-tend1792
1792 Elvina II. 85 They would not have any violent objection to nurse-tend each other.
1841 Southern Literary Messenger 7 506/1 I do not wish that this devoted and admirable creature, humble though she be, should nurse-tend him.
1860 W. Carleton Tales & Stories Irish Peasantry 139 Having accomplished these matters, a kind of guard was set to watch and nurse-tend him.
2. intransitive. To act or serve as a nurse to the sick or infirm.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > art or science of medicine > practice of healing art > practise the healing art [verb (intransitive)] > tend the sick
sick1843
nurse1859
nurse-tend1863
sick-nurse1897
1863 E. C. Gaskell Sylvia's Lovers I. xii. 233 Sylvia shall go play hersen; she's been nurse-tending long enough.
1888 Quiver May 492/1 She has done nothing but nurse-tend ever since she married that old man.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online June 2020).
<
v.1792