Obs. exc. arch. Also 1–3 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.

1

  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.]

2

  A foster-parent, nurse.

3

a. 1000.  Laws of Ine lxiii[i]. Mot he habban his ȝerefan mid him and his smið and his cildfostran [v.r. -festran].

4

a. 1225.  St. Marher., 8. Þu art foster ant feder to helplese children.

5

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2620. Sche forð-ran, And brogt hire a fostre wimman. Ibid., 2624–5. Iakabeð wente bliðe agen, ðat ȝhe þe gildes [cildes?] fostre muste ben.

6

a. 1563.  Becon, Humble Supplic., Wks. 1563, III. 21 b. Heretofore we had suche shepeheardes, as were tender fosters of thy flocke.

7

1601.  Holland, Pliny, XV. iv. The Greekes, whom wee may count the very fathers and fosters of all vices.

8

1640.  R. Baillie, Canterb. Self-Convict., Pref. 10. Your sweete Fosters the Bishops have brought the Pope upon you and your Children.

9

1737.  Waterland, Eucharist, 157. The Word is all Things to the Infant, a Father, a Mother, a Preceptor, a Foster.

10

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!

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