mare's nest

Alteration of earlier horse's nest, from the fanciful and unlikely notion that horses make nests.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛːz nɛst/

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mare's nest (plural mare's nests or mares' nests) (figurative)

2. A great discovery which turns out to be illusory; especially, a hoax.

   Near-synonyms: bullshit, horseshit

   • c. 1620, John Fletcher (playwright), Bonduca, V.2:

     Why dost thou laugh? What Mares nest hast thou found?

   • 1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 32:

     “Rubbish!” cried Lawrence angrily. “In my opinion the whole thing is a mare’s nest of Bauerstein’s! Wilkins hadn’t an idea of such a thing, until Bauerstein put it into his head. But, like all specialists, Bauerstein’s got a bee in his bonnet. Poisons are his hobby, so of course he sees them everywhere.”

4. A confused or complicated situation; a muddle.

   Synonym: rat's nest

   Coordinate term: boar's nest

   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 277:

     Though Chancellor Maupeou had supported the idea of a trial [...], the legal proceedings developed into a mare's nest of accusations and counter-accusations.

• stearsmen, steersman