Basic+ Word of the Day: nest

nest (noun, verb) past tense: nested

A nest is a structure made of twigs, grass and mud, prepared by animals to hold eggs and raise young.

• The hen sat in the nest until the eggs hatched.
• There is a hornet's nest in the tree in the backyard.

A nest is also a comfortable place to retreat.

• After a hard day of work, Rachel goes home to her nest and reads mysteries.

Nest also means ‘to build or have a nest.’

• Every spring the geese nest around the lake.

Nest also means ‘to fit together or within one another.’

• The bowls nest for easy storage.

Common use

nest egg: money saved for the future. Example: “The couple used their nest egg to pay for the new car.”

nesting instinct: the urge to clean and organize. Example: “Many pregnant women have the nesting instinct right before giving birth.”

Did you know?

A cuckoo is a bird, but in American slang, cuckoo means ‘crazy.’ So, it follows that a cuckoo’s nest is a mental institution.

In pop culture

The classic movie, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, is about a criminal, who is not mentally ill, but chooses to serve his sentence in a mental institution because he thinks it will be easier than serving in prison. What could go wrong? Watch the trailer.

There are other meanings of nest.