A great discovery which turns out to be illusory; a hoax. / A confused or complicated situation; a muddle.

plural of empty nest

Alternative spelling of mare's nest

A home or a family where the children have grown up and moved away. / Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see empty, nest.

A natural or artificial egg placed in a bird's nest, to encourage the bird to lay its own eggs there. / (figuratively) A saving; a reserve of money. / An egg squash.

(nautical) A small open-top shelter, originally a cask, on the top of the foremast, large enough to accommodate a lookout. It was used by whalers to watch for a blow (spout), or in icebound waters to seek a channel.

Alternative spelling of crow's nest

A shallow depression used by ground birds as a nest; a scrape.

plural of mare's nest

(US, archaic, informal, idiomatic) A state of chaos and confusion.