nest

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [C] a hollow place or structure that a bird makes or chooses for laying its eggs and sheltering its young: sparrows building a nest of twigs and dry grass 2 [C] a place where insects or other small creatures live and produce their young: an ants' / wasps' nest * a nest of mice 3 [sing.] a secret place which is full of bad people and their activities: a nest of thieves 4 [sing.] the home, thought of as the safe place where parents bring up their children: to leave the nest (= leave your parents' home) 5 [C,usually sing.] a group or set of similar things that are made to fit inside each other: a nest of tables IDIOMS see EMPTYadj., FEATHERv., FLYv., HORNET, MARE verb [V] to make and use a nest: Thousands of seabirds are nesting on the cliffs.