bed
♦♦ bed /b'ed/ (beds)
1 [N-COUNT] also prep N
A bed is a piece of furniture that you lie on when you sleep.
She went into her bedroom and lay down on the bed...
We finally went to bed at about 4am...
By the time we got back from dinner, Nona was already in bed...
When she had gone Sam and Robina put the children to bed.
2 [N-COUNT]
If a place such as a hospital or a hotel has a particular number of beds, it is able to hold that number of patients or guests.
3 [N-COUNT] usu n N, N of n
A bed in a garden or park is an area of ground that has been specially prepared so that plants can be grown in it.
...beds of strawberries and rhubarb.
4 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A bed of shellfish or plants is an area in the sea or in a lake where a particular type of shellfish or plant is found in large quantities.
The whole lake was rimmed with thick beds of reeds.
5 [N-COUNT] usu sing, usu with supp
The sea bed or a river bed is the ground at the bottom of the sea or of a river.
For three weeks a big operation went on to recover the wreckage from the sea bed.
6 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A bed of rock is a layer of rock that is found within a larger area of rock.
Between the white limestone and the greyish pink limestone is a thin bed of clay.
7 [N-COUNT] usu sing, N of n
If a recipe or a menu says that something is served on a bed of a food such as rice or vegetables, it means it is served on a layer of that food.
Heat the curry thoroughly and serve it on a bed of rice.
8
see also -bedded, bedding
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
To go to bed with someone means to have sex with them.
10 [PHRASE]
If you say that someone has made their bed and must lie in it, you mean that since they have chosen to do a particular thing, they must now accept the unpleasant results of their action.
11 [PHRASE] V and N inflect
When you make the bed, you neatly arrange the sheets and covers of a bed so that it is ready to sleep in.
12
bed of roses: see rosebed and break|fast (bed and breakfasts)
also bed-and-breakfast
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Bed and breakfast is a system of accommodation in a hotel or guest house, in which you pay for a room for the night and for breakfast the following morning. The abbreviation B&B is also used. (mainly BRIT)
Bed and breakfast costs from £30 per person per night.
2 [N-COUNT]
A bed and breakfast is a guest house that provides bed and breakfast accommodation. The abbreviation B&B is also used. (mainly BRIT)
Accommodation can be arranged at local bed and breakfasts.bed lin|en
also bed-linen
[N-UNCOUNT]
Bed linen is sheets and pillowcases.
...crisp white cotton bed linen.bunk bed (bunk beds)
[N-COUNT]
Bunk beds are two beds fixed one above the other in a frame.camp bed (camp beds)
[N-COUNT]
A camp bed is a small bed that you can fold up. (BRIT; in AM, use cot)four-poster bed (four-poster beds)
[N-COUNT]
A four-poster bed or a four-poster is a large old-fashioned bed that has a tall post at each corner and curtains that can be drawn around it.oys|ter bed (oyster beds)
[N-COUNT]
An oyster bed is a place where oysters breed and grow naturally or are kept for food or pearls.riv|er bed (river beds)
also riverbed
[N-COUNT]
A river bed is the ground which a river flows over.sofa bed (sofa beds)
also sofa-bed
[N-COUNT]
A sofa bed is a type of sofa whose seat folds out so that it can also be used as a bed.test bed (test beds)
[N-COUNT]
A test bed is a piece of equipment used for testing new machines.twin bed (twin beds)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Twin beds are two single beds in one bedroom.
1 [N-COUNT] also prep N
A bed is a piece of furniture that you lie on when you sleep.
She went into her bedroom and lay down on the bed...
We finally went to bed at about 4am...
By the time we got back from dinner, Nona was already in bed...
When she had gone Sam and Robina put the children to bed.
2 [N-COUNT]
If a place such as a hospital or a hotel has a particular number of beds, it is able to hold that number of patients or guests.
3 [N-COUNT] usu n N, N of n
A bed in a garden or park is an area of ground that has been specially prepared so that plants can be grown in it.
...beds of strawberries and rhubarb.
4 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A bed of shellfish or plants is an area in the sea or in a lake where a particular type of shellfish or plant is found in large quantities.
The whole lake was rimmed with thick beds of reeds.
5 [N-COUNT] usu sing, usu with supp
The sea bed or a river bed is the ground at the bottom of the sea or of a river.
For three weeks a big operation went on to recover the wreckage from the sea bed.
6 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A bed of rock is a layer of rock that is found within a larger area of rock.
Between the white limestone and the greyish pink limestone is a thin bed of clay.
7 [N-COUNT] usu sing, N of n
If a recipe or a menu says that something is served on a bed of a food such as rice or vegetables, it means it is served on a layer of that food.
Heat the curry thoroughly and serve it on a bed of rice.
8
see also -bedded, bedding
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
To go to bed with someone means to have sex with them.
10 [PHRASE]
If you say that someone has made their bed and must lie in it, you mean that since they have chosen to do a particular thing, they must now accept the unpleasant results of their action.
11 [PHRASE] V and N inflect
When you make the bed, you neatly arrange the sheets and covers of a bed so that it is ready to sleep in.
12
bed of roses: see rosebed and break|fast (bed and breakfasts)
also bed-and-breakfast
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Bed and breakfast is a system of accommodation in a hotel or guest house, in which you pay for a room for the night and for breakfast the following morning. The abbreviation B&B is also used. (mainly BRIT)
Bed and breakfast costs from £30 per person per night.
2 [N-COUNT]
A bed and breakfast is a guest house that provides bed and breakfast accommodation. The abbreviation B&B is also used. (mainly BRIT)
Accommodation can be arranged at local bed and breakfasts.bed lin|en
also bed-linen
[N-UNCOUNT]
Bed linen is sheets and pillowcases.
...crisp white cotton bed linen.bunk bed (bunk beds)
[N-COUNT]
Bunk beds are two beds fixed one above the other in a frame.camp bed (camp beds)
[N-COUNT]
A camp bed is a small bed that you can fold up. (BRIT; in AM, use cot)four-poster bed (four-poster beds)
[N-COUNT]
A four-poster bed or a four-poster is a large old-fashioned bed that has a tall post at each corner and curtains that can be drawn around it.oys|ter bed (oyster beds)
[N-COUNT]
An oyster bed is a place where oysters breed and grow naturally or are kept for food or pearls.riv|er bed (river beds)
also riverbed
[N-COUNT]
A river bed is the ground which a river flows over.sofa bed (sofa beds)
also sofa-bed
[N-COUNT]
A sofa bed is a type of sofa whose seat folds out so that it can also be used as a bed.test bed (test beds)
[N-COUNT]
A test bed is a piece of equipment used for testing new machines.twin bed (twin beds)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Twin beds are two single beds in one bedroom.