rat's nest
The phrase "rat's nest" is often used metaphorically to describe disorganized or complex situations.
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Definition
B2General
(idiomatic)A place or situation that is extremely messy or tangled.
Example
- His desk was a rat's nest of papers and books.
C1Computing
(idiomatic, technical)A software or hardware system that is poorly organized and hard to understand or maintain.
Example
- The old codebase was a rat's nest, making it difficult for new developers to work on it.
B2Personal Appearance
(idiomatic, informal)Hair that is very tangled and unkempt.
Example
- After a windy day at the beach, her hair looked like a rat's nest.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "rat's nest":
tree ratbird's nestrock ratfield ratshack rattrap nestrice ratwater ratmare's nestpack rathornets' nestplague ratbush ratsewer ratriver ratspiny ratsnake pit