Collins English-English Dictionary

bed [bεd]

1. 1. n a piece of furniture on which to sleep

2. 2. n the mattress and bedclothes on such a piece of furniture

   an unmade bed

3. 3. n sleep or rest

   time for bed

4. 4. n any place in which a person or animal sleeps or rests

5. 5. n [med] a unit of potential occupancy in a hospital or residential institution

6. 6. n [informal] a place for sexual intercourse

7. 7. n [informal] sexual intercourse

8. 8. n a plot of ground in which plants are grown, esp when considered together with the plants in it

   a flower bed

9. 9. n the bottom of a river, lake, or sea

10. 10. n a part of this used for cultivation of a plant or animal

    oyster beds

11. 11. n a layer of crushed rock, gravel, etc, used as a foundation for a road, railway, etc

12. 12. n a layer of mortar in a masonry wall

13. 13. n the underside of a brick, tile, slate, etc, when in position - Compare back

14. 14. n any underlying structure or part

15. 15. n a layer of rock, esp sedimentary rock

16. 16. n the flat part of a letterpress printing press onto or against which the type forme is placed

17. 17. n 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

18. 18. n a machine base on which a moving part carrying a tool or workpiece slides

    lathe bed

19. 19. vb [usually foll by down] to go to or put into a place to sleep or rest

20. 20. vt. [tr] to have sexual intercourse with

21. 21. vt. [tr] to place, fix, or sink firmly into position; embed

22. 22. vt. [geology] to form or be arranged in a distinct layer; stratify

23. 23. vt. [tr; often foll by out] to plant in a bed of soil

24. 24. vt. See also bed in

25. 25. vt. [Etymology] Old English bedd; related to Old Norse bethr, Old High German betti, Gothic badi