nestnoun [ C ]
uk/nest/us/nest/nest noun [ C ] (HOME)
C2 a structure built by birds or insects to leave their eggs in to develop, and by some other animals to give birth or live in:
a bird's nest
a wasps'/hornets' nest
a rat's nest
Cuckoos are famous for laying their eggs in the nests of other birds.
The alligators build their nests out of grass near the water's edge.
a comfortable home:
One day the children grow up and leave the nest.
a place where something unpleasant or unwanted has developed:
The diplomats have been sent home because their embassy has become a nest of spies.
More examples
- The cuckoo lays her egg in another bird's nest.
- If disturbed, the bird may abandon the nest, leaving the chicks to die.
- The bird regarded me with suspicion as I walked up to its nest.
- There's a wasps' nest in that old tree.
- Meanwhile, the mother flies back to the nest to feed her young.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Animal dwellings - natural
- anthill
- arboreal
- biome
- burrow
- byre
- cobweb
- den
- earth
- habitat
- house
- lair
- litter
- lodge
- molehill
- niche
- rookery
- roost
- warren
- web
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Home
Unpleasant places
nest noun [ C ] (SET)
a set of things that are similar but different in size and have been designed to fit inside each other:
I'd like a nest of tables for the living room.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Groups and collections of things
- agglomeration
- Aladdin's cave
- anthology
- assemblage
- bank
- basket
- cache
- empty set
- ensemble
- feast
- generation
- glory box
- grab bag
- package
- pool
- selection
- sheaf
- sheaves
- subgroup
- vintage
See more results »
nestverb [ I ]
uk/nest/us/nest/C2 to build a nest, or live in a nest:
We've got some swallows nesting in our roof at the moment.
Farm buildings are ideal nesting sites for barn owls.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Animal (non-human) behaviour
- accidental
- eusocial
- fledge
- frisk
- gore
- lap
- maul
- migrant
- mob
- molt
- nuzzle
- perch
- prey
- ruminate
- scratch
- shy
- skitter
- slaver 1
- torpor
- trot
See more results »