Mare’s Nest

Pronunciation: /mɛrz nɛst/

Definitions of mare’s nest

noun a complex or confusing situation that is often illusory or imaginary

Example Sentences

A1 I heard my grandmother say that cleaning my room was like finding a mare's nest.

A2 The new intern made a mare's nest of the filing system, causing confusion for everyone.

B1 The detective realized the supposed treasure map was just a mare's nest created by a prankster.

B2 The politician's promise of easy solutions turned out to be a mare's nest, leading to disappointment among voters.

C1 The scientist debunked the popular theory as a mare's nest, revealing the truth behind the phenomenon.

C2 The author's intricate plot twists created a mare's nest of clues, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

Examples of mare’s nest in a Sentence

formal The detective quickly realized that the supposed murder scene was actually a mare's nest of fabricated evidence.

informal I thought I found a great deal on that used car, but it turned out to be a mare's nest of hidden problems.

slang Don't believe everything she says, it's just a mare's nest of gossip.

figurative Trying to navigate through the complicated legal system felt like unraveling a mare's nest of red tape.

Grammatical Forms of mare’s nest

• plural: mares' nests
• comparative: more mare's nest
• superlative: most mare's nest
• present tense: finds mare's nest
• future tense: will find mare's nest
• perfect tense: has found mare's nest
• continuous tense: is finding mare's nest
• singular: mare's nest
• positive degree: mare's nest
• infinitive: to find mare's nest
• gerund: finding mare's nest
• participle: found mare's nest

Origin and Evolution of mare’s nest

First Known Use: 1529 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The origin of the phrase 'mare's nest' is believed to come from the idea of a horse's nest being a nonsensical or impossible thing, as horses do not build nests.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase 'mare's nest' evolved to mean a situation that is thought to be remarkable or exciting but is actually illusory or imaginary.