mare's nest
Preserved but no longer current.
Sense 1
He has found a mare's nest, and is laughing at the eggs; said of one who laughs without any apparent cause.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 2
A supposed discovery of marvels, which turn out no marvels at all; from a story similar to that about the cock neighing. Three Cockneys, out ruralizing, had determined to find out something about nests. Accordingly, when they ultimately came upon a dungheap, they judged by the signs therein that it must be a MARE’S NEST, especially as they could see the mare close handy. An old preacher in Cornwall up to very lately employed a different simile, as, "It’s like a cow calving up in a tree."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “mare's nest” mean?
He has found a mare's nest, and is laughing at the eggs; said of one who laughs without any apparent cause.
Is “mare's nest” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.