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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Nest, n. [ME. and e.m.E. nest(e, neeste, e.m.E. neast, OE. nest].

1. A bird's nest.Also halk-, howlat-, ka-, pyet-nest, see these nouns.Also to clim a nest or nestis, in bird-nesting.(1) 1424 Acts II. 6/1.
Quhar … the birdis be flowin and the nestis be fundin in the treis c1450-2 Howlat 251.
Ane owl, noyus in nest 1474 Acts II. 107/2.
That … na … persone tak ane wther manis hundis nor haukis maide nor wilde out of nestis a1500 Henr. Fab. 428 (Bann.).
Quhair Chanteciere … was flowin fra his nest a1500 Seven S. 2667.
Scho him [sc. a raven] left … In nest nakit redy to de c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 6. 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 166.
Seir smaill fowlys wirkand crafty nestis 1582 Waus Corr. 242.
Thar is bot tua halkis in nest of Kyrkmaiden this yeir(2) 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 277.
Giffin to the boy … to clym the halk nest in the Abbotis Crag 1602 Elgin Rec. II. 104.
Delatis John Gibsones bastard sone climming nestis 1658 Boharm Kirk S. 23 May.
James Winchester delaitted to have clume nests upon the Lord's day

b. fig. and in fig. contexts, and in proverbs.To big the gook's (= cuckoo's) nest, to build castles in the air, to indulge in fantasy.(1) a1500 K. Hart 601.
Nature me bred ane beist in to my nest c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii. 24.
Kynd natyve nest dois clek bot owlis Ib. xliv. 21.
[Women] ar our verry nest of nvrissing 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. vi.
Hie invy me from his service kest … As bird but plumes heryit of the nest 1570 Sat. P. xxii. 44.
This bailfull bird richt beinly can vpbeild In castellis strang hir noysum nest to byde 1581 Sempill Ib. xliii. 171.
Out of his dowie den Maist lyke a fox thay fyrit him in his nest a1603 Anc. Prophecies 8.
Qwhen the koke in the northe halows his nest a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 175 (W).
To lait I find the nest I seik Quhan as the birdis are flowne 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 162.
When ye inquire for Him & finde but a toom nest c1679 Kirkton Hist. (1817) 7.
[Mary of Guise described as] ane egge of the bloody nest of Guise(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliv. 22.
In lak of thame [women] quha can say ony thing: That fowll his nest he fylis 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 306.
Euery lord … Brocht in ane bird to fyll the nest(3) 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 134.
So I bigged the gook's nest & dreamed of dying at ease and living in a fools paradise

c. A resort (of persons of a disreputable class). — c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxii. 43.
Ȝour burgh of beggeris is ane nest

2. A nest of insects or animals. 1456 Hay II. 131/5.
The emotis gaderis to thair provisionis for aganis the wynter to thair nestis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1409.
Sua come a trip of mys out of thair nest

3. A set of similar objects, kept in the same receptacle or fitting one into the other.e.m.E. (1524). 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 300.
For a nest of cowntouris to the King 1597 Bk. Rates MS. 3.
Buistis the nest thairof