[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/roost/)

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# roost

noun (a roost, roosts); verb (roost, roosts, roosted, roosting)

«roost» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A roost is a place where birds or bats rest or sleep, such as a branch, a perch or a barn. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#m1)
2. To roost is for birds or bats to settle down to rest or sleep there. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#m2)
3. «Rule the roost» means to be the boss of a group or a home. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#m3)
4. «Come home to roost» means that bad things someone did come back to cause trouble for them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#m4)

### In the lessons

In science lessons about birds and bats, roosts are where they sleep, often in large groups; bat roosts are protected by law in the UK. Chickens roost on a perch in their coop at night. In stories the idioms show who is in charge or how bad deeds return. Phrases: rule the roost, come home to roost, bat roost, go to roost.

### Examples

- The hens went to roost as the sun set. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x1)
- Hundreds of starlings roost under the pier. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x2)
- Bats roost in the old church roof. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x3)
- You must not disturb a bat roost. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x4)
- In our house the cat rules the roost. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x5)
- The owl roosts in the hollow tree during the day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x6)
- His lies came home to roost when the truth came out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x7)
- The parrot has a favourite roost by the window. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x8)
- Evil wishes, like chickens, come home to roost. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/#x9)

### Note

Noun: a roost, roosts. Verb: roost, roosts, roosted, roosting. «Rooster» (US, Australia) is a male chicken (UK: cockerel), from the same word. Both idioms are figurative, not about real birds.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «roost» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/roost/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«roost» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/roost.html) on Mova free.