mare's nest

noun

plural mare's nests or mares' nests
1
: a false discovery, illusion, or deliberate hoax
2
: a place, condition, or situation of great disorder or confusion
a mare's nest of intrigue and troubles with the money menWilliam Cole

Examples of mare's nest in a Sentence

the lack of planning had resulted in the city's evacuation being a mare's nest of epic proportions

Word History

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mare's nest was in 1576

Dictionary Entries Near mare's nest

Cite this Entry

“Mare's nest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mare%27s%20nest. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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