mare's nest

plural mare's nests · plural mares' nests

1. figurativelyA great discovery which turns out to be illusory; especially, a hoax.

   Near-synonyms: bullshit, horseshit

   2 more examples

   Why dost thou laugh? What Mares nest hast thou found?

   c. 1620, John Fletcher (playwright), Bonduca, V.2

   “Rubbish!” cried Lawrence angrily. “In my opinion the whole thing is a mare’s nest of Bauerstein’s! Wilkins hadn’t an idea of such a thing, until Bauerstein put it into his head. But, like all specialists, Bauerstein’s got a bee in his bonnet. Poisons are his hobby, so of course he sees them everywhere.”

   1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 32

   Synonyms: bullshit, horseshit

2. figurativelyA confused or complicated situation; a muddle.

   Though Chancellor Maupeou had supported the idea of a trial [...], the legal proceedings developed into a mare's nest of accusations and counter-accusations.

   2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 277

   Synonyms: rat's nest