nanny
/'næni/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A woman employed to care for a child in its own home: A "nanny" is a person, typically a woman, whose job is to take care of young children in the family's household, often including tasks like feeding, bathing, and playing with them.
- A female goat: In a zoological context, "nanny" is an informal term for an adult female goat.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Childcare):
- The family hired a nanny to look after their twins.
- She worked as a nanny for ten years before becoming a teacher.
- Noun (Animal):
- The nanny and her kid grazed in the field.
Advanced Usage
- "Nanny state": A disapproving term for a government perceived as overprotective or excessively controlling in regulating the personal choices and behavior of its citizens.
- Critics accused the administration of creating a nanny state with its new public health laws.
Variants and Related Words
- Nanny-goat (n): The full, more formal term for a female goat.
- The children fed the nanny-goat.
- To nanny (v, informal): To act as or like a nanny; to care for or watch over someone in an overly protective way.
- He's always nannying his younger brother.
Synonyms
- Childminder: A person who looks after children, often in their own home.
- Au pair: A young foreign person, typically a woman, who helps with housework and childcare in exchange for room, board, and a small allowance.
- Governness: A woman employed to teach and train children in a private household.
Related Phrases
- Nanny cam (n): A hidden camera used by parents to monitor a nanny or babysitter.
- They installed a nanny cam for peace of mind.
Idioms
- To be left holding the baby (UK) / To be left holding the bag (US): To be left with a responsibility, especially an unwanted one, that someone else has abandoned. (While not containing "nanny," this idiom relates to the concept of childcare responsibility.)
- After the project failed, I was left holding the baby.
Noun
- female goat
- a woman who is the custodian of children