British English : bed A bed is a piece of furniture that you lie on when you sleep.We went to bed at about 4a.m.bɛd NOUN
noun
a piece of furniture on which to sleep
the mattress and bedclothes on such a piece of furniture ⇒ an unmade bed
sleep or rest ⇒ time for bed
any place in which a person or animal sleeps or rests
(medicine ) a unit of potential occupancy in a hospital or residential institution
(informal ) a place for sexual intercourse
(informal ) sexual intercourse
a plot of ground in which plants are grown, esp when considered together with the plants in it ⇒ a flower bed
the bottom of a river, lake, or sea
a part of this used for cultivation of a plant or animal ⇒ oyster beds
a layer of crushed rock, gravel, etc, used as a foundation for a road, railway, etc
a layer of mortar in a masonry wall
the underside of a brick, tile, slate, etc, when in position Compare back1 (sense 12)
any underlying structure or part
a layer of rock, esp sedimentary rock
the flat part of a letterpress printing press onto or against which the type forme is placed
a layer of solid particles of an absorbent, catalyst, or reagent through which a fluid is passed during the course of a chemical reaction or other process
a machine base on which a moving part carrying a tool or workpiece slides ⇒ lathe bed
See a bed of roses
See to be brought to bed
See bed of nails
See get out of bed on the wrong side
See go to bed
See in bed with
See put to bed
See take to one's bed
verb
(usually followed by down) to go to or put into a place to sleep or rest
(transitive) to have sexual intercourse with
(transitive) to place, fix, or sink firmly into position; embed
(geology ) to form or be arranged in a distinct layer; stratify
(transitive) often foll by out to plant in a bed of soil