mare's nestn.
/ˈmɛːz nɛst/, U.S. /ˈmɛ(ə)rz ˌnɛst/ 1. Originally in to have found (also spied) a mare's nest: to imagine that one has discovered something wonderful, which in fact does not exist. Hence: an illusory discovery, esp. one that is much vaunted and betrays foolish credulity.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deception by illusion, delusion > delude [verb (intransitive)] > be deluded
to lie in the lash1573
to have found (also spied) a mare's nest1576
overtake1581
hallucinate1652
mare's-nest1859
to get left1884
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > fabrication of statement or story > [noun] > something invented > and absurd
to have found a mare's nest1576
horse-nest1577
1576 R. Peterson tr. G. della Casa Galateo 111 Nor Stare in a mans face, as if he had spied a mares nest.
a1625 J. Fletcher Bonduca v. ii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Iiii2/2 Why dost thou laugh? what Mares nest hast thou found?
1738 J. Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 51 You have found a Mare's Nest.
1824 C. Grey Let. 1 Aug. in Heber Lett. (1950) x. 318 I believe myself to have discovered in Horace Walpole the real Junius and..to have established it almost beyond dispute. I may have found a mare's nest.
1840 T. Hood Up Rhine Pref. p. iii Such Critics as are fond of climbing up a Mât de Cocagne for a Mare's Nest at the top.
1877 Spirit of Times 24 Nov. 453/3 The Hornet's Nest is in reality a mare's nest. It makes you search a good while, without finding anything.
1892 Times (Weekly ed.) 21 Oct. 18/2 Colonel S.'s discovery is a mere mare's nest.
1930 New Statesman 27 Dec. 361/2 I do not think any literary pastime leaves one with so dry and discouraging a sensation as the examination of mares'-nests.
1957 F. Hoyle Black Cloud (1960) 76 Can you imagine what your position would be..if you were responsible for public alarm over what turned out to be a mere mare's nest.
1981 ‘A. Cross’ Death in Faculty (1988) iv. 38 Clearly it was going to be a long evening. No doubt the whole thing would turn out to be a mare's nest.
2. An untidy or confused mess; a muddle; a misconception.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > confusion or disorder > [noun]
brabbling1530
confusion1530
ruffle1533
pell-mellc1586
confusedness1587
huddle1606
Babel confusion1653
promiscuity1663
hugger-mugger1674
promiscuousness1676
clutter1692
jumblement1706
muddle1808
embranglement1826
mare's nest1837
muddlement1857
muddledom1891
muddliness1891
mêlée1895
mix-up1898
huddledom1923
buggeration1962
mixed-upness1967
1837 Fraser's Mag. 16 532 The mares'-nests of its discovery were amply suited by the flea-bittenness of its style.
1857 J. W. Croker in Croker Papers 1 Feb. (1884) I. iii. 83 Tierney was ashamed of himself to be taken in such a mare's nest.
1869 Galaxy Oct. 549 The reviewer, as he points out some deficiencies in the glossary, brings to the astonished eye of the inexperienced and imperfectly read student of Shakespeare several Shakespearian mares'-nests.
1948 New Yorker 21 Feb. 23 Two ladies who were lodged (so they bitterly reminded one another) in an outrageous and expensive mare's-nest at a hotel on Madison.
1981 Cook's Mag. Jan. 18/2 The kitchen fireplace was a mare's nest of andirons, spits, spiders.., trammels, tongs, kettles,..and ladles.
1985 G. Benford Artifact v. iii. 308 It's cleared..Your desk..It's usually a mare's nest.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1576