# nest

/ˈnɛst/ (US) · /nˈɛst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nest
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. animal home

noun · CEFR A2

a structure built by a bird or animal to keep its eggs or babies safe.

For teachers: a structure constructed by a bird, insect, or other animal for the purpose of depositing eggs and rearing young.

- We found a small bird's nest hidden high up in the apple tree.
- The eagle constructed a massive nest of sticks and moss on the inaccessible cliff face to protect its fledglings from predators.

### 2. fitting objects

noun · CEFR B2

a set of similar objects of different sizes that fit inside one another.

For teachers: a collection of objects of graduated size, each designed to be stored within the next larger one.

- She bought a nest of tables that saved a lot of space in the small living room.
- The kitchen was equipped with a convenient nest of mixing bowls, ranging from a small prep dish to a large five-litre vessel.

### 3. military position

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a hidden or protected place for a weapon, like a machine gun.

For teachers: a fortified or concealed position for a weapon or a small group of soldiers.

- The soldiers spotted a sniper's nest in the clock tower.
- The infantry unit was tasked with neutralising a machine-gun nest that had pinned down the advancing platoon for several hours.

### 5. to build a home

verb · CEFR B1

to build or live in a nest.

For teachers: to build or occupy a nest; by extension, to settle into a comfortable home environment.

- Many birds prefer to nest in the thick bushes near the river.
- The rare species of sea turtle returns to this specific beach every year to nest in the soft sand above the high-tide mark.

### 6. to fit inside

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

to place one thing inside another, or to fit together in a stack.

For teachers: to fit an object or a piece of data inside another of the same type.

- You can nest these plastic boxes to save space in the cupboard.
- The programmer had to nest several loops to process the multi-dimensional array efficiently, though it made the code harder to read.

Usage: Often used in programming to describe loops or functions inside other loops or functions.

## Examples

- The bird built a small nest in the apple tree.
- We found a hidden nest of robins tucked safely under the eaves of the old garden shed.
- High atop the jagged cliffs, the eagle had constructed a massive nest of sticks and moss, providing a secure vantage point over the valley below.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.