roost

American  

[roost] / rust /

noun

1. a perch upon which birds or fowls rest at night.

2. a large cage, house, or place for fowls or birds to roost in.

3. a place for sitting, resting, or lodging.

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verb (used without object)

1. to sit or rest on a roost, perch, etc.

2. to settle or stay, especially for the night.

idioms

1. rule the roost, to be in charge or control; dominate.

   It was only too apparent that his grandfather ruled the roost.

2. come home to roost, (of an action) to revert or react unfavorably to the doer; boomerang.

   an evil deed that came home to roost and ruined his life.

roost ¹ British  

/ ruːst /

noun

1. a place, perch, branch, etc, where birds, esp domestic fowl, rest or sleep

2. a temporary place to rest or stay

3. See rule

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verb

1. (intr) to rest or sleep on a roost

2. (intr) to settle down or stay

3. to have unfavourable repercussions

Roost ² British  

/ ruːst /

noun

1. a powerful current caused by conflicting tides around the Shetland and Orkney Islands

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roost More Idioms  

1. see chickens come home to roost; rule the roost.

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Other Word Forms

• unroosted adjective
• unroosting adjective

Etymology

Origin of roost

before 1100; Middle English roost (noun), Old English hrōst; cognate with Middle Dutch roest

Example Sentences

"Now the chickens are coming home to roost."

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

There is a chance the crisis widens, its unknowables blooming into view, the crows coming home to roost.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026

But all along it, aging chickens are coming home to roost.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

This is a team of players who are simply not good enough without exception, and that lies with the board, so all in all, the chickens come home to roost.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

It would have been a perfect roost for secretly filming the casino boat, except for a couple of problems.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen