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Synonyms

crow's-nest

American  
[krohz-nest] / ˈkroʊzˌnɛst /
Or crow's nest

noun

  1. Nautical. a platform or shelter for a lookout at or near the top of a mast.

  2. any similar platform raised high above the ground, as a lookout or a station for a traffic officer.

crow's-nest British  

noun

  1. a lookout platform high up on a ship's mast

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of crow's-nest

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It's the biggest problem I can see from my crow’s nest view as a professional info-intermediary in the science-to-public pipeline.

From Salon • Feb. 26, 2024

Holes pervade the wreckage, while the crow’s nest is already gone.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 19, 2023

A Norwegian sealer, the vessel was converted for the purpose and was fitted with a crow's nest to aid navigation through sea-ice and to look out for hazards such as big icebergs.

From BBC • Sep. 17, 2021

Kids can scramble up the bow and peer in the portholes of this red-and-black pirate ship, complete with masts, sails and a crow’s nest — and a slide and climbing walls too.

From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2020

“Excellent! You’ll visit the crow’s nest twice a day.”

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.