Foster

[faw-ster, fos-ter] /ˈfɔ stər, ˈfɒs tər/

verb (used with object)
1.
to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage:
to foster new ideas.
2.
to bring up, raise, or rear, as a .
3.
to care for or cherish.
4.
British. to place (a child) in a .
5.
Obsolete. to feed or nourish.
[faw-ster, fos-ter] /ˈfɔ stər, ˈfɒs tər/
noun
1.
Stephen (Collins) 1826–64, U.S. songwriter.
2.
William Z(ebulon)
[zeb-yuh-luh n] /ˈzɛb yə lən/ (Show IPA), 1881–1961, U.S. labor organizer: leader in the Communist Party.
3.
a male given name.
/ˈfɒstə/
verb (transitive)
1.
to promote the growth or development of
2.
to bring up (a child, etc); rear
3.
to cherish (a plan, hope, etc) in one’s mind
4.
(mainly Brit)

adjective
5.
(in combination) indicating relationship through fostering and not through birth: foster mother, foster child
6.
(in combination) of or involved in the rearing of a child by persons other than his natural or adopted parents: foster home
/ˈfɒstə/
noun
1.
Jodie. born 1962, US film actress and director: her films include Taxi Driver (1976), The Accused (1988), The Silence of the Lambs (1990), Little Man Tate (1991; also directed), Nell (1995), and Panic Room (2002)
2.
Norman, Baron. born 1935, British architect. His works include the Willis Faber building (1978) in Ipswich, Stansted Airport, Essex (1991), Chek Lap Kok Airport, Hong Kong (1998), the renovation of the Reichstag, Berlin (1999), and City Hall, London (2002)
3.
Stephen Collins. 1826–64, US composer of songs such as The Old Folks at Home and Oh Susanna
v.

Old English *fostrian “to supply with food, nourish, support,” from fostor “food, nourishment, bringing up,” from Proto-Germanic *fostrom, from root *foth-/*fod- (see food).

Meaning “to bring up a child with parental care” is from c.1200; that of “to encourage or help grow” is early 13c. of things; 1560s of feelings, ideas, etc. Old English also had the adjective meaning “in the same family but not related,” in fostorfæder, etc. Related: Fostered; fostering.