nest egg

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

a sum of money saved for retirement or the future

Why this phrase?

Savings are pictured as an egg protected in a nest and kept for future growth or use.

Example

“Their nest egg took a hit in the recession.”

Dictionary details

Component words

nest egg

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs Neutral · CEFR C1

to destroy a reliable source of future profit through greed or short-term thinking

egg on your face Informal · CEFR B2

to be embarrassed after being publicly wrong

walk on eggshells Informal · CEFR B2

to act very carefully to avoid upsetting someone

chicken-and-egg problem Neutral · CEFR C1

a situation in which two things each depend on the other, so neither can get started

save for a rainy day Neutral · CEFR B1

to put money aside for future emergencies

a rip-off Informal · CEFR B1

Something that is far too expensive for what it is.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

markdown