crow's-nest

or crow's nest

[ krohz-nest ]

noun

1. Nautical. a platform or shelter for a lookout at or near the top of a mast.
2. any similar platform raised high above the ground, as a lookout or a station for a traffic officer.

crow's-nest

noun

1. a lookout platform high up on a ship's mast

Word History and Origins

Origin of crow's-nest¹

First recorded in 1595–1605

Example Sentences

Worsley manned the crow’s-nest with binoculars, a megaphone, and a flag, searching the ice pack for seals and then shouting and pointing out the seals to the hunters.

From Literature

Feeling like a rat in a trap, Worsley looked for leads from the crow’s-nest and signaled the course to the man on the bridge.

From Literature

The Greek letters Delta and Gamma are displayed on the tower, which seems otherwise useless, as there is neither room nor light for a crow’s-nest study or a bed chamber.

From Seattle Times

With the exception of her guns, most of the original fixtures and fittings remain intact, from the huge boilers in the belly of the ship to the crow's-nest towering above her bridge.

From BBC

Mr. Bach’s 1985 book about film, “Final Cut: Dreams and Disaster in the Making of ‘Heaven’s Gate’ ” — a crow’s-nest view of the cultural and personal tensions on the set — became a best seller and a Hollywood-insider classic.

From New York Times

Related Words

• sentry