Discussion:
definition of “nestle”
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Yurui Liu
2020-01-11 13:31:53 UTC
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Hi,

The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the following
definition of "nestle":

to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside

Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?

The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill

Is the town necessarily surrounded?
occam
2020-01-11 14:47:32 UTC
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Post by Yurui Liu
Hi,
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the following
to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?
The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill
Is the town necessarily surrounded?
According to this site, néstlé means "Good Food, Good Life"
https://www.nestle.com/

In English, it is a verb which means 'to arrange oneself in a
comfortable and cosy position'.

In your example, nestled means 'is positioned' , but not necessarily
'surrounded'. How can it be surrounded by /a/ hill?
Peter T. Daniels
2020-01-11 19:44:43 UTC
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Post by occam
Post by Yurui Liu
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the following
to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?
The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill
Is the town necessarily surrounded?
According to this site, néstlé means "Good Food, Good Life"
https://www.nestle.com/
In English, it is a verb which means 'to arrange oneself in a
comfortable and cosy position'.
In your example, nestled means 'is positioned' , but not necessarily
'surrounded'. How can it be surrounded by /a/ hill?
The definition says "hills." Here, presumably the relevant bit of the
(incomplete) definition would be "countryside."
Janet
2020-01-12 11:41:21 UTC
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Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by occam
Post by Yurui Liu
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the following
to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?
The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill
Is the town necessarily surrounded?
According to this site, néstlé means "Good Food, Good Life"
https://www.nestle.com/
In English, it is a verb which means 'to arrange oneself in a
comfortable and cosy position'.
In your example, nestled means 'is positioned' , but not necessarily
'surrounded'. How can it be surrounded by /a/ hill?
The definition says "hills." Here, presumably the relevant bit of the
(incomplete) definition would be "countryside."
(Baby bird) nestlings nestle in a nest, (sheltered and protected).

Janet
Peter T. Daniels
2020-01-12 17:15:40 UTC
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Post by Janet
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by occam
Post by Yurui Liu
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the following
to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?
The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill
Is the town necessarily surrounded?
In English, it is a verb which means 'to arrange oneself in a
comfortable and cosy position'.
In your example, nestled means 'is positioned' , but not necessarily
'surrounded'. How can it be surrounded by /a/ hill?
The definition says "hills." Here, presumably the relevant bit of the
(incomplete) definition would be "countryside."
(Baby bird) nestlings nestle in a nest, (sheltered and protected).
Since that isn't mentioned in the definition that was given, it was
clearly an *incomplete* definition.

CDB
2020-01-11 14:55:54 UTC
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Post by Yurui Liu
Hi,
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the following
to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
That is an extension of the original meaning, which evokes the condition
of a bird on its nest. Extended uses of the word are more common than
literal ones.
Post by Yurui Liu
Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?
The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill
Is the town necessarily surrounded?
No. It is depicted as being safe and comfortable in its location.
--
The young in one another's arms, birds in the trees
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
2020-01-11 21:24:05 UTC
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Post by CDB
Post by Yurui Liu
Hi,
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the following
to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
That is an extension of the original meaning, which evokes the condition
of a bird on its nest. Extended uses of the word are more common than
literal ones.
Post by Yurui Liu
Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?
The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill
Is the town necessarily surrounded?
No. It is depicted as being safe and comfortable in its location.
Agreed.
https://www.lexico.com/definition/nestle

nestle
verb
no object, with adverbial of place

1 Settle or lie comfortably within or against something.
‘the baby nestled in her arms’
with object ‘she nestled her head against his shoulder’

1.1( of a place) be situated in a half-hidden or sheltered
position.
‘picturesque villages nestle in the wooded hills’

Origin
Old English nestlian, from nest; compare with Dutch nestelen.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Yurui Liu
2020-01-12 07:52:54 UTC
Permalink
CDB於 2020年1月11日星期六 UTC+8下午10時55分59秒寫道：
Post by CDB
Post by Yurui Liu
Hi,
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the following
to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
That is an extension of the original meaning, which evokes the condition
of a bird on its nest. Extended uses of the word are more common than
literal ones.
Post by Yurui Liu
Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?
The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill
Is the town necessarily surrounded?
No. It is depicted as being safe and comfortable in its location.
If the preposition "among" were used instead, as in "a tiny village nestling
among the foothills of the French Alps," would "nestle" necessarily mean
"be surrounded"?
Post by CDB
--
The young in one another's arms, birds in the trees
CDB
2020-01-12 13:14:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by Yurui Liu
CDB：
Post by CDB
Post by Yurui Liu
Hi,
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives the
to be surrounded by something, especially hills or countryside
That is an extension of the original meaning, which evokes the
condition of a bird on its nest. Extended uses of the word are
more common than literal ones.
Post by Yurui Liu
Is the definition too narrow as far as the following example is concerned?
The little town nestles snugly at the foot of the hill
Is the town necessarily surrounded?
No. It is depicted as being safe and comfortable in its location.
If the preposition "among" were used instead, as in "a tiny village
nestling among the foothills of the French Alps," would "nestle"
necessarily mean "be surrounded"?
Not necessarily, in my opinion. It might be a more likely
interpretation of that phrase than of the original.

What does "surrounded" mean? Does "being surrounded" allow for access
routes? How many foothills would be required? As so often with
English, context is needed to make the meaning explicit.
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