Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

foul one's own nest

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.66 in modern English

Syllables: foul one's own nest
IPA

21

Scrabble Score

15

Letters

1

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To damage one's environment.

verb

To hurt one's own interests, especially to damage the reputation of one's self, family or group.

Example Sentences

"Provide them with a mansion, and they will rip out the plumbing, write obscenities on the walls, and generally foul up their own nest."
"Whatever we do to nature and the environment we will eventually do to ourselves. If we continually foul our own nest, we will pay the price."
"Large cities foul their own nest as they grow, putting the health of their citizens in jeopardy."
"Rather, it appears that we have a tendency to foul our own nest and destroy what we value the most."
"He had concluded, 'Arbitrary violence against them now would be to foul your own nest; mar at the outset the future that is your destiny."
"In giving vent to these baseless slanders you have now fouled your own nest and sought to discredit the very judgment which you and your two distinguished colleagues have just rendered.”"

Etymology

From the proverb it's an ill bird that fouls its own nest.

Inflected Forms

fouls one's own nest (present, singular) fouling one's own nest (participle, present) fouled one's own nest (participle, past) fouled one's own nest (past)

Phrases

don't shit in your own nest

Frequently Paired Words

don't shit in your own nest

Synonyms

shoot oneself in the foot

Questions

What does foul one's own nest mean?: To damage one's environment.
Where does foul one's own nest come from?: From the proverb it's an ill bird that fouls its own nest.

How to pronounce foul one's own nest

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