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mare's nest

Definition of mare's nest

noun

  • 1a complex or confused situation; a muddle:your desk’s usually a mare’s nest
  • 2an illusory discovery:the mare’s nest of perfect safety

Origin:

late 16th century: formerly in the phrase to have found a mare's nest, meaning 'to have discovered something amazing' (i.e. something that does not exist)

mare's nest in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of mare's nest in the US English dictionary
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