nest egg的词源

英文词源

nest (n.)

Old English nest "bird's nest, snug retreat," also "young bird, brood," from Proto-Germanic *nistaz (cognates: Middle Low German, Middle Dutch nest, German Nest), from PIE *nizdo- (cognates: Sanskrit nidah "resting place, nest," Latin nidus "nest," Old Church Slavonic gnezdo, Old Irish net, Welsh nyth, Breton nez "nest"), probably from *ni "down" + *sed- (1) "to sit" (see sedentary).

Used since Middle English in reference to various accumulations of things (such as a nest of drawers, early 18c.). Nest egg "retirement savings" is from 1700, originally "a real or artificial egg left in a nest to induce the hen to go on laying there" (c. 1600).

中文词源

nest egg：备用金

比喻用法。

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：nest egg 词源，nest egg 含义。

nest egg：留窝蛋；储备金

旧时农村的养鸡人不把母鸡下的蛋全部取走，他们有意在鸡窝里留个把真蛋或者假蛋，使母鸡不另择鸡窝，诱使它们继续把蛋下在窝里。这种“留窝蛋”就叫做nest egg。由于这一做法会让窝里的蛋越来越多，所以英美人就用nest egg一词喻指积存起来以备日后急需之用的钱，即“储备金”。 此语可一直追溯至17世纪。