The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Cherish \Cher"ish\ (ch[e^]r"[i^]sh), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Cherished (ch[e^]r"[i^]sht); p. pr. & vb. n. Cherising.]
   [F. ch['e]rir, fr. cher dear, fr. L. carus. See Caress,
   Finish.]
   1. To treat with tenderness and affection; to nurture with
      care; to protect and aid.
      [1913 Webster]

            We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth
            her children.                         --1 Thess. ii.
                                                  7.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To hold dear; to embrace with interest; to indulge; to
      encourage; to foster; to promote; as, to cherish religious
      principle.
      [1913 Webster]

            To cherish virtue and humanity.       --Burke.

   Syn: To nourish; foster; nurse; nurture; entertain;
        encourage; comfort; protect; support; See Nurture.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

cherish
    v 1: be fond of; be attached to [syn: care for, cherish,
         hold dear, treasure]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

95 Moby Thesaurus words for "cherish":
   admire, adore, appreciate, apprize, attend to, baby-sit, bear,
   bear in mind, bosom, brood over, care for, chaperon, cling to,
   clip, coddle, conserve, cosset, cradle, cultivate, dearly love,
   defend, delight in, dry-nurse, dwell on, dwell upon, embosom,
   embrace, entertain, esteem, fan the embers, feed, fondle, foster,
   guard, harbor, have, have and hold, have in mind, hold, hold dear,
   hold in mind, hold on to, hug, idolize, keep, keep in memory,
   keep in mind, keep in view, keep watch over, lavish care on,
   look after, look out for, look to, love to distraction, matronize,
   mind, minister to, mother, nourish, nurse, nurture, pamper,
   preserve, prize, protege, provide for, regard, relish, retain,
   revere, reverence, ride herd on, safeguard, save, see after,
   see to, shelter, shepherd, shield, spoon-feed, suckle, support,
   sustain, take care of, take charge of, tend, treasure, treasure up,
   value, venerate, watch, watch out for, watch over, wet-nurse,
   worship