nest


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
click for a larger image
nest
nesting Japanese figures

nest

 (nĕst)
n.
1.
a. A structure or shelter made or used by a bird to hold its eggs during incubation and to house its young until fledged.
b. A structure or shelter in which other animals, such as reptiles, fish, or insects, deposit their eggs or tend their young.
c. A structure or complex built by ants, termites, or other social animals to house a colony.
d. A number of insects, birds, or other animals occupying a nest: attacked by a nest of hornets.
2. A place affording snug refuge or lodging; a home.
3.
a. A place or environment that fosters rapid growth or development, especially of something undesirable; a hotbed: a nest of criminal activity.
b. Those who occupy or frequent such a place or environment.
4.
a. A set of objects of graduated size that can be stacked together, each fitting within the one immediately larger: a nest of tables.
b. A cluster of similar things.
5. A group of weapons in a prepared position: a machine-gun nest.
v. nest·ed, nest·ing, nests
v.intr.
1. To build or occupy a nest.
2. To create and settle into a warm and secure refuge.
3. To hunt for birds' nests, especially in order to collect the eggs.
4. To fit one inside another.
v.tr.
1. To place in or as if in a nest.
2. To put snugly together or inside one another: to nest boxes.

[Middle English, from Old English; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nest

(nɛst)
n
1. (Zoology) a place or structure in which birds, fishes, insects, reptiles, mice, etc, lay eggs or give birth to young
2. (Zoology) a number of animals of the same species and their young occupying a common habitat: an ants' nest.
3. a place fostering something undesirable: a nest of thievery.
4. the people in such a place: a nest of thieves.
5. a cosy or secluded place
6. a set of things, usually of graduated sizes, designed to fit together: a nest of tables.
7. (Military) military a weapon emplacement: a machine-gun nest.
vb
8. (intr) to make or inhabit a nest
9. (intr) to hunt for birds' nests
10. (tr) to place in a nest
[Old English; related to Latin nīdus (nest) and to beneath, sit]
ˈnester n
ˈnestˌlike adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

nest

(nɛst)
n.
1. a bowl-shaped or pocketlike structure, often of twigs, grasses, and mud, prepared by a bird for incubating eggs and rearing young.
2. any structure or shelter used for depositing eggs or raising young.
3. a number of birds, insects, animals, etc., inhabiting one such place.
4. a snug retreat or refuge; resting place; home.
5. an assemblage of things lying or set close together.
6. a set of items, often of graduated size, that fit close together or one within another: a nest of tables.
7. a set of items or parts forming a hierarchical structure, with larger parts enclosing smaller ones.
8. a place where something bad is fostered or flourishes: a nest of thieves.
9. the occupants or frequenters of such a place.
v.i.
10. to build or have a nest: to nest in trees.
11. to settle in or as if in a nest.
12. to fit together or one within another: bowls that nest easily for storage.
13. to search for or collect nests.
v.t.
14. to settle or place (something) in or as if in a nest.
15. to fit or place one within another.
[before 900; Middle English, Old English; c. Old Saxon, Dutch, Old High German, German nest; akin to Latin nīdus, Old Irish net, Welsh nyth nest, Skt nīḍa lair]
nest′er, n.
nest′like`, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

nest

- From Indo-European nizdos, literally "(place where the bird) sits down."
See also related terms for sits.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

Nest

 a number or collection of people; a number of birds or insects gathered in the same place; an accumulation of similar objects; a number of buildings or streets; a set of objects. See also aerie, bike, brood, swarm.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

nest


Past participle: nested
Gerund: nesting

Imperative
nest
nest
Present
I nest
you nest
he/she/it nests
we nest
you nest
they nest
Preterite
I nested
you nested
he/she/it nested
we nested
you nested
they nested
Present Continuous
I am nesting
you are nesting
he/she/it is nesting
we are nesting
you are nesting
they are nesting
Present Perfect
I have nested
you have nested
he/she/it has nested
we have nested
you have nested
they have nested
Past Continuous
I was nesting
you were nesting
he/she/it was nesting
we were nesting
you were nesting
they were nesting
Past Perfect
I had nested
you had nested
he/she/it had nested
we had nested
you had nested
they had nested
Future
I will nest
you will nest
he/she/it will nest
we will nest
you will nest
they will nest
Future Perfect
I will have nested
you will have nested
he/she/it will have nested
we will have nested
you will have nested
they will have nested
Future Continuous
I will be nesting
you will be nesting
he/she/it will be nesting
we will be nesting
you will be nesting
they will be nesting
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been nesting
you have been nesting
he/she/it has been nesting
we have been nesting
you have been nesting
they have been nesting
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been nesting
you will have been nesting
he/she/it will have been nesting
we will have been nesting
you will have been nesting
they will have been nesting
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been nesting
you had been nesting
he/she/it had been nesting
we had been nesting
you had been nesting
they had been nesting
Conditional
I would nest
you would nest
he/she/it would nest
we would nest
you would nest
they would nest
Past Conditional
I would have nested
you would have nested
he/she/it would have nested
we would have nested
you would have nested
they would have nested
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.nest - a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their youngnest - a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
natural object - an object occurring naturally; not made by man
beehive, hive - a structure that provides a natural habitation for bees; as in a hollow tree
bird nest, birdnest, bird's nest - nest where birds lay their eggs and hatch their young
drey - the nest of a squirrel
mouse nest, mouse's nest - where mice bear and raise their young
nidus - a nest in which spiders or insects deposit their eggs
2.nest - a kind of gun emplacement; "a machine-gun nest"; "a nest of snipers"
gun emplacement, weapons emplacement - an emplacement for a gun
3.nest - a cosy or secluded retreat
retreat - a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet
4.nest - a gang of people (criminals or spies or terrorists) assembled in one locality; "a nest of thieves"
act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act - the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear
gang, mob, pack, ring - an association of criminals; "police tried to break up the gang"; "a pack of thieves"
sleeper nest - a nest of sleepers awaiting a prearranged signal; "sleeper nests of Islamic terrorists were capable of launching major attacks in Europe"
5.nest - furniture pieces made to fit close together
article of furniture, furniture, piece of furniture - furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy; "they had too much furniture for the small apartment"; "there was only one piece of furniture in the room"
Verb1.nest - inhabit a nest, usually after building; "birds are nesting outside my window every Spring"
inhabit, live, populate, dwell - inhabit or live in; be an inhabitant of; "People lived in Africa millions of years ago"; "The people inhabited the islands that are now deserted"; "this kind of fish dwells near the bottom of the ocean"; "deer are populating the woods"
2.nest - fit together or fit inside; "nested bowls"
embed, imbed, implant, plant, engraft - fix or set securely or deeply; "He planted a knee in the back of his opponent"; "The dentist implanted a tooth in the gum"
3.nest - move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position; "We cuddled against each other to keep warm"; "The children snuggled into their sleeping bags"
cling to, hold close, hold tight, clutch - hold firmly, usually with one's hands; "She clutched my arm when she got scared"
snuggle, nestle - position comfortably; "The baby nestled her head in her mother's elbow"
draw close - pull towards oneself; "He drew the crying child close"
4.nest - gather nests
gather, pull together, collect, garner - assemble or get together; "gather some stones"; "pull your thoughts together"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

nest

noun
1. roost, eyrie I can see an eagle's nest on the rocks.
2. lair, den, burrow He discovered a rats' nest built from the remains of cardboard boxes.
3. refuge, resort, retreat, haunt, den, hideaway He moved into a £2,000-a-month love nest with his blonde mistress.
4. hotbed, den, breeding-ground Biarritz was notorious in those days as a nest of spies.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
عُشعُشٌعششيُعَشِّش، يَبْني عُشّاً
hnízdohnízditútočištěhnízdečko
redebygge rede
nestiginestiĝinesto
pesa
pesäpesäkepesiäpesiytyäkolo
gnijezdo
fészekfészket rak
sarang
byggja hreiîurhreiîur
巣籠る
둥지
nidus
gūžtasantaupos juodai dienaisukti lizdą
ligzdaligzdotpūznis
hniezdiťhniezdo
gnezditignezdo
boredestapla
รัง
yuvayuva yapmak
tổ

nest

[nest]
A. N
1. [of bird] → nido m; [of hen] → nidal m; [of rat, fox] → madriguera f; [of mouse] → ratonera f; [of wasps, hornets] → avispero m; [of ants] → hormiguero m
to fly the nest when the children have flown the nestcuando los hijos dejen el nido
to feather one's nestbarrer hacia adentro, arrojar piedras al tejado propio
to foul one's own nestmanchar el propio nido
2. (fig) [of thieves, spies] → guarida f
3. (= set) [of boxes, tables] → juego m
4. (= gun emplacement) a machine-gun nestun nido de ametralladoras
B. VI
1. [bird] → anidar, hacer su nido
2. [collector] → buscar nidos
C. CPD nest egg N (fig) → ahorros mpl
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

nest

[ˈnɛst]
n [bird] → nid m
to fly the nest [child] (= leave home) → quitter le nid, quitter le nid familial
vi [bird] → nichernest egg nest-egg [ˈnɛstɛg] n (= money) → pécule m
They have a little nest egg tucked away somewhere for a rainy day → Ils ont un petit pécule mis de côté quelque part pour les mauvais jours.
They squandered their little nest-egg → Ils ont dilapidé leur petit pécule.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

nest

n
(of birds, bees, ants)Nest nt; to leave or fly the nest (lit, fig)das Nest verlassen
(of boxes etc)Satz m; a nest of tablesein Satz mTische or von Tischen
(fig: = den) → Schlupfwinkel m; a nest of spies/criminalsein Agenten-/Verbrechernest nt; a nest of machine gunseine Maschinengewehrstellung
vi
(bird)nisten
to go nestingNester ausheben or ausnehmen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

nest

[nɛst]
1. n
a.nido
b. nest of tablestris m di tavolini
2. vifare il nido, nidificare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

nest

(nest) noun
a structure or place in which birds (and some animals and insects) hatch or give birth to and look after their young. The swallows are building a nest under the roof of our house; a wasp's nest.
verb
to build a nest and live in it. A pair of robins are nesting in that bush.
ˈnestling (-liŋ) noun
a young bird (still in the nest).
ˈnest-egg noun
a sum of money saved up for the future.
feather one's (own) nestfeather
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

nest

عُشٌ hnízdo rede Nest φωλιά nido pesä nid gnijezdo nido 둥지 nest rede gniazdo ninho гнездо bo รัง yuva tổ
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

nest

n. nido de células, masa de células en forma de nido de pájaro.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
References in classic literature ?
It is now commonly admitted that the more immediate and final cause of the cuckoo's instinct is, that she lays her eggs, not daily, but at intervals of two or three days; so that, if she were to make her own nest and sit on her own eggs, those first laid would have to be left for some time unincubated, or there would be eggs and young birds of different ages in the same nest.
It was not really a piece of paper; it was the Never bird, making desperate efforts to reach Peter on the nest. By working her wings, in a way she had learned since the nest fell into the water, she was able to some extent to guide her strange craft, but by the time Peter recognised her she was very exhausted.
"Consider," he said at last, "how warm the mud makes the nest."
They lie either scattered and single, in which case they are never hatched, and are called by the Spaniards huachos; or they are collected together into a shallow excavation, which forms the nest. Out of the four nests which I saw, three contained twenty-two eggs each, and the fourth twenty-seven.
The Eagle built her nest in the branches of a tall tree, while the Fox crept into the underwood and there produced her young.
When Captain Sleet in person stood his mast-head in this crow's nest of his, he tells us that he always had a rifle with him (also fixed in the rack), together with a powder flask and shot, for the purpose of popping off the stray narwhales, or vagrant sea unicorns infesting those waters; for you cannot successfully shoot at them from the deck owing to the resistance of the water, but to shoot down upon them is a very different thing.
One morning an old basket made its appearance, suspended by a short cord outside Martin's window, in which were deposited an amateur nest containing four young hungry jackdaws, the pride and glory of Martin's life, for the time being, and which he was currently asserted to have hatched upon his own person.
If so, Peter Pan sees them when he is sailing across the lake in the Thrush's Nest. A small part only of the Serpentine is in the Gardens, for soon it passes beneath a bridge to far away where the island is on which all the birds are born that become baby boys and girls.
I found that each merchant chose a particular nest, and took his chance of what he might find in it.
By good fortune they fell only a few feet; for underneath them was a monster nest, built by a colony of Jackdaws in a hollow ledge of rock; so none of them -- not even the Pumpkinhead -- was injured by the fall.
The commonest dream of my early childhood was something like this: It seemed that I was very small and that I lay curled up in a sort of nest of twigs and boughs.
The bear would have liked to go at once, but the wolf held him back by the sleeve, and said: 'No, you must wait until the lord and lady Queen have gone away again.' So they took stock of the hole where the nest lay, and trotted away.