Fester | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Fĕs'ter, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. [imp. & p. p. FESTERED; p. pr. & vb. n. FESTERING.] [A modification of foster, to feed, to nourish. Cf. A.-S. fester, food, equivalent to fostre, festre, nurse, equivalent to fostre. See FOSTER.]

Sense 1. To grow virulent; to corrupt; to rankle;—said of wounds and of a person wounded.

Wounds immedicable Rankle, and fester, and gangrene. Milton.

Sense 2. To become malignant and invincible;—said of passions.

Fĕs'ter, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. To cause to fester; to nurse, as something that rankles. And festered rankling malice in my breast. Marston.

Fĕs'ter, n.

noun

n. 1. A sore which rankles and discharges corrupt matter; a pustule. 2. A festering or rankling. The fester of the chain upon their necks. J. Taylor.