nestling

Three nestlings.

From Middle English nestling, equivalent to nest +‎ -ling.

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɛstlɪŋ/

  • Audio (Southern England)

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nestling (plural nestlings)

1. A small, young bird that is still confined to the nest.

   Synonym: quab

2. (obsolete) A nest; a receptacle.
   • 1605, Francis Bacon, “The Second Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC, folio 41, verso:

     […] the Secrecies of the Paſſages; and the ſeats or neaſtling of the humours; […]

• fledgling
• hatchling

From nestle +‎ -ing.

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɛsəlɪŋ/, /ˈnɛslɪŋ/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛslɪŋ

nestling

1. present participle and gerund of nestle
   • 1949 January and February, F. G. Roe, “I Saw Three Englands–1”, in Railway Magazine, page 12:

     I certainly was not prepared for the cosy nestling valleys that snuggled against the shoulders of the hills; a land where the graystone cottages and farmsteads still prevailed, but where they had taken on something of the softness of their kind in Gloucester and the Cotswolds, and seemed almost like growths of the soil; […] .

nestling (plural nestlings)

1. The act of one who nestles.
   • 1871, Kate Neely Hill Festetits, Actions speak louder than words:

     It was associated, to them, with vague sweet memories of loving nestlings in mother's arms, of soft warm coddlings before the fire, of slow rocking to and fro in the little, low, flag chair, and gradual droppings off to sleep […]

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