The story
From the (unattested) Norn reflex of Old Norse naust (“boathouse”). Cognate with Faroese neyst, Norwegian naust, Danish nøst (“boat-shed”).
First known use, by meaning
- from 17th c. A trench or other hollow area, sometimes with walls, where a boat can be hauled up and left ashore.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.