[nest] n [ME, fr. OE; akin to OHG nest nest, L nidus] (bef. 12c) 1 a: a bed or receptacle prepared by an animal and esp. a bird for its eggs and young b: a place or specially modified structure serving as an abode of animals and esp. of their immature stages "an ants' ~" c: a receptacle resembling a bird's nest
2. a: a place of rest, retreat, or lodging: home "grown children who have left the ~" b: den, hangout
3: the occupants or frequenters of a nest
4. a: a group of similar things: aggregation "a ~ of giant mountains --Helen MacInnes" b: hotbed
2. "a ~ of rebellion"
5: a group of objects made to fit close together or one within another
6: an emplaced group of weapons
[2]nest vi (13c) 1: to build or occupy a nest: settle in or as if in a nest
2: to fit compactly together or within one another: embed ~ vt 1: to form a nest for
2: to pack compactly together
3: to form a hierarchy, series, or sequence of with each member, element, or set contained in or containing the next "~ed subroutines in a computer program"