subs. (common).—1. An old man’s maid, frequently doing double duty—nurse and SMOCK SERVANT (q.v.).
2. (nautical).—See quot.
1867. W. H. SMYTH, Sailor’s Word-Book, 502, s.v. NURSE. An able first lieutenant, who in former times had charge of a young boy-captain of interest, but possessing no knowledge for command.
3. See WET-NURSE.
Verb. (old cant).—1. To cozen.—GROSE (1785).
2. (billiards’).—To keep the three balls close in play so as to score successive cannons. Hence, NURSERY-BUSINESS (q.v.).
3. (omnibus drivers’).—To cheat an opposition bus of passengers by driving close in front or behind; two vehicles are generally employed TO NURSE the victim.
1858. Morning Chronicle, 8 March. The cause of the delay was that defendant was waiting to NURSE one of their omnibuses.
1863. The DEAN OF CANTERBURY, A Plea for the Queen’s English, in Good Words, iv. p. 197/1. Many words are by rule hitched off with two commas; one before and one behind; NURSED, as the Omnibus Company would call it.
1884. Echo, 7 May, 1, 4. Another phenomenal witness, a ’bus conductor, did not even know what NURSING rivals meant.
1893. P. H. EMERSON, Signor Lippo, xvi. Some of ’em wanted to NURSE me, but I managed to give the mare a touch of the spur and she flew out, the starter calling me to account.
1889. Man of the World, 29 June. Only a fortnight ago I witnessed an elderly man run over and killed in Queen Victoria Street through this very cause. Surely a man’s life is worth more than the gratification of the ambition of a NURSING omnibus driver.
1900. Daily Telegraph, 22 March, 4, 6. A case of alleged NURSING by rival omnibuses occupied a large part of the afternoon sitting.
TO BE AT NURSE, verb. phr. (old).—To be in the hands of trustees.—GROSE (1785).
