Hypertext Webster Gateway: "fostering"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Foster \Fos"ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fostered}, p. pr. & vb.
n. {Fostering}.] [OE. fostren, fr. AS. f[=o]ster, f[=o]stor,
food, nourishment, fr. f[=o]da food. [root]75. See {Food}.]
1. To feed; to nourish; to support; to bring up.
Some say that ravens foster forlorn children.
--Shak.
2. To cherish; to promote the growth of; to encourage; to
sustain and promote; as, to foster genius.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
fostering
n 1: encouragement; aiding the development of something [syn: {fosterage}]
2: raising someone to be an accepted member of the community;
"they debated whether nature or nurture was more
important" [syn: {breeding}, {bringing up}, {fosterage}, {nurture},
{raising}, {rearing}, {upbringing}]
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