Meaning & use
nestle
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To move into a warm, comfortable, sheltered position, often pressing close to someone or something.
Grammar: No object; often used with a preposition like in, into, against, or on: She nestled into the cushions.
Patterns
- nestle in something
- nestle into something
- nestle against someone/something
- nestle on something
The kitten nestled in the blanket and fell asleep.
She nestled against her mother on the cold bench.
He nestled into the armchair with a good book.
verbintransitive
To be located in a sheltered or partly hidden spot, especially among hills, trees, or buildings.
Grammar: No object; usually describes places, often with among, between, or in: The village nestles among the hills.
Patterns
- nestle among something
- nestle between something
- nestle in something
The cottage nestles among tall pine trees.
Their house nestles between two old oaks.
A small fishing village nestles in the bay.
verbtransitive
To hold someone or something close and comfortably in your arms or against your body.
Grammar: Takes an object: She nestled the baby in her arms.
Patterns
- nestle someone/something in something
- nestle someone/something against something
He nestled the sleeping child in his arms.
She nestled the puppy against her chest.
The nurse nestled the newborn in a soft blanket.
Word forms
| third person singular | nestles |
|---|---|
| past tense | nestled |
| past participle | nestled |
| -ing form | nestling |
Common combinations
- nestle in
- The cat nestled in the laundry basket.
- nestle into
- She nestled into the warm sand.
- nestle against
- The child nestled against her father's shoulder.
- nestle among
- The cabin nestles among the trees.
- nestle between
- The town nestles between two rivers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- snuggle
- Snuggle is warmer and more affectionate, often used for people or animals cuddling; nestle can also describe places.
- cuddle
- Cuddle focuses on holding someone lovingly, while nestle emphasizes settling into a comfortable position.
- settle
- Settle means to become calm or stationary; nestle adds the idea of warmth and shelter.
Word family
Commonly confused: nestle or nettle?
nestle vs nettle
Nettle is a plant that stings; nestle means to settle comfortably.
Practice
The kitten ______ in the soft blanket and closed its eyes.
Choose one answer.
The past tense 'nestled' fits because the action is finished. 'Nestling' would need a helping verb like 'was', and 'nestles' is present tense, which doesn't match the past 'closed'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nestle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.