Obs. exc. arch. Also 13 fostre. [OE. (cild-) fóstre wk. fem., nurse, = MDu. voester (also voetster, mod.Du. voedster), ON. fóstra:OTeut. *fôstrôn-, f. *fôstr-om: see prec. ON. had fóstre wk. masc., foster-father, of similar formation.
In the sole recorded OE. instance, a variant reading is cild féstre, which is prob. a genuine form:prehistoric *fôdistra, f. root of FOOD + fem. agent-suffix -istrôn, -STER.]
A foster-parent, nurse.
a. 1000. Laws of Ine lxiii[i]. Mot he habban his ȝerefan mid him and his smið and his cildfostran [v.r. -festran].
a. 1225. St. Marher., 8. Þu art foster ant feder to helplese children.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2620. Sche forð-ran, And brogt hire a fostre wimman. Ibid., 26245. Iakabeð wente bliðe agen, ðat ȝhe þe gildes [cildes?] fostre muste ben.
a. 1563. Becon, Humble Supplic., Wks. 1563, III. 21 b. Heretofore we had suche shepeheardes, as were tender fosters of thy flocke.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XV. iv. The Greekes, whom wee may count the very fathers and fosters of all vices.
1640. R. Baillie, Canterb. Self-Convict., Pref. 10. Your sweete Fosters the Bishops have brought the Pope upon you and your Children.
1737. Waterland, Eucharist, 157. The Word is all Things to the Infant, a Father, a Mother, a Preceptor, a Foster.
1851. Longf., Gold. Leg., II. Village Church.
This is the Black Pater-noster, | |
God was my foster, | |
He fostered me | |
Under the book of the Palm-tree! |