nest-egg

A family adds money to their nest-egg jar each week.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sum of money saved for the future: "nest-egg" refers to a reserve of money set aside for a specific purpose, such as retirement, emergencies, or a major purchase.
   • A real or artificial egg left in a nest: Literally, an egg placed in a hen's nest to encourage it to lay more eggs there.

Usage Examples

• Financial sense:

  • She has been building a nest-egg for her retirement by saving a portion of her salary each month. (A sum of money saved for future financial security.)
  • The couple used their nest-egg to make a down payment on a house. (Their accumulated savings for a major purchase.)

• Literal sense:

  • The farmer placed a porcelain nest-egg in the henhouse to stimulate egg production. (An artificial egg used to encourage hens to lay.)

Advanced Usage

• "to build a nest-egg": to gradually accumulate savings over time.

  • He started building a nest-egg by investing in low-risk bonds. (He methodically saved money for future needs.)

• "nest-egg" in legal and financial contexts: often used in discussions about personal finance, retirement planning, and inheritance.

  • The inheritance served as a substantial nest-egg for the young family. (A large sum of money saved for future security.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nest-egg fund (n): a specific fund designated for long-term savings.

  • The company offers a nest-egg fund for employees' retirement. (A dedicated savings plan for future use.)

• Nesting (adj): related to the act of saving or setting aside resources.

  • Her nesting instinct drove her to save every spare penny. (A tendency to accumulate savings.)

Synonyms

• Savings: money that has been saved, especially through a bank or investment account.
• Reserve fund: money set aside for future use or emergencies.
• Retirement fund: savings specifically intended for post-employment years.

Idioms

• "To put away a nest-egg": to set aside money for future use.

  • They put away a nest-egg for their children's education. (They saved money specifically for future educational expenses.)

• "A nest-egg for a rainy day": savings kept for unexpected difficulties.

  • He kept a nest-egg for a rainy day, never touching it unless absolutely necessary. (Savings reserved for emergencies.)

Related Concepts

• Emergency fund: a specific type of nest-egg intended for unexpected expenses like medical bills or job loss.
• Retirement nest-egg: savings accumulated specifically for the period after one stops working.