bed

Multiple Entries:
  bed    BEd  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
bed/bed/

▶noun

• 1 a piece of furniture incorporating a mattress or other surface for sleeping or resting on.

  ■ a place for a patient in a hospital.

  ■ informal used with reference to a bed as a place for sexual activity.

• 2 an area of ground where flowers and plants are grown.

• 3 a flat base or foundation on which something rests or is supported.

  ■ chiefly N. Amer. the open part of a truck or cart, where goods are carried.

• 4 a stratum or layer of rock.

• 5 the bottom of the sea or a lake or river.

  ■ a place on the seabed where shellfish breed or are bred.

▶verb (beds, bedding, bedded)

• 1 provide with sleeping accommodation.

  ■ (bed down) settle down for the night in an improvised place.

• 2 informal have sex with.

• 3 (bed something out) transfer a plant from a pot or seed tray to the ground.

• 4 fix firmly; embed.

  ■ lay or arrange in a layer.

– phrases
bed and board lodging and food.
bed of nails a board with nails pointing out of it, as lain on by fakirs and ascetics.
a bed of roses [usu. with neg.] a situation or activity that is comfortable or easy.
be brought to bed archaic (of a woman) give birth to a child.
get out of bed on the wrong side start the day in a bad mood, which continues all day long.
put something to bed informal make a newspaper ready for press.

– derivatives
bedded adjective.

– origin OE bed, bedd (n.), beddian (v.), of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
BEd/biːˈed/

▶abbreviation Bachelor of Education.