bed
/bed/ (bre, ipa) · [bˈɛd] /bed/ (ame, ipa) · [bˈɛd] /ˈbed/ (ame, mw)
bed — verb
- bedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- beds3rd person singular
- bedding-ing form
- beddedpast simple
1. to press or fasten an object so that it sits deeply and firmly inside soil, ceme
to press or fasten an object so that it sits deeply and firmly inside soil, cement, or some other material, making it hard to move.
The builders bedded the wooden posts deep into wet concrete to hold the fence steady.
bed + object + into + material
Olu bedded the small tree firmly in the soft soil and watered it well.
bed + object + in + material
Tiny pieces of glass were bedded in the rubber sole of Daniel's running shoe.
Otto bedded the heavy stones into the path one by one before the rain came.
The jeweller bedded each small diamond firmly into the soft gold ring.
文法句型
bed something in/into something
be bedded in something
用法筆記
Frequently passive (be bedded in/into something). Subject is usually a small, hard object (post, stone, jewel, fragment) and the location is a soft or sticky material (mud, concrete, soil, wax).
常見錯誤
2. to get someone or yourself ready to sleep, usually by giving them a place to lie
to get someone or yourself ready to sleep, usually by giving them a place to lie down for the night, especially in a temporary or simple spot.
Mrs. Lin bedded the twins down on the sofa with two thick blankets.
bed + someone + down
The hikers bedded down beside the river when it grew too dark to walk on.
intransitive: bed down + place
After the long flight, Yusuf bedded the children down before eight o'clock.
The farmer bedded the new horses down with fresh straw in the warm barn.
The scout troop bedded down for the night inside an old cabin near the lake.
- settle
more general; suggests calming down, not only sleep
- tuck in
informal; specifically about pulling covers around someone in a real bed
- put to bed
very common everyday phrase for the same idea
文法句型
bed someone down
bed down somewhere
用法筆記
Almost always appears with the particle 'down'. Distinguish from sense 1 (FIX IN PLACE): here the object is a person or animal preparing to sleep, not a hard item pressed into a material.
常見錯誤
3. to take someone as a sexual partner, especially in a brief or casual encounter r
to take someone as a sexual partner, especially in a brief or casual encounter rather than within a committed relationship.
Eitan boasted to his friends that he had bedded half the women in the office.
informal, often boastful tone
The novel describes a king who tried to bed every young noblewoman at his court.
Henry was determined to bed the rich widow before his rival could even meet her.
Beatriz suspected her boyfriend was hoping to bed her by the end of the trip.
- sleep with
neutral and far more common in everyday speech
- seduce
focuses on persuading someone into sex, not the act itself
- have an affair with
implies a longer secret relationship, not a single encounter
文法句型
bed someone
用法筆記
Informal and often disapproving — carries a hint of conquest or one-sided interest. In neutral or polite speech, prefer 'sleep with' or 'have sex with'. Common in fiction, gossip, and journalism, rare in formal writing.
常見錯誤
bed — noun
- bedsingular
- bedsplural
1. the rectangular item of furniture, usually with a soft mattress and pillows, tha
the rectangular item of furniture, usually with a soft mattress and pillows, that you lie down on at night to sleep.
Eitan jumped onto the bed and pulled the blue blanket up to his chin.
preposition: onto the bed
Beatriz was so tired that she fell asleep before her head touched the bed.
Grandpa Henry sat on the edge of the bed and slowly tied his shoes.
Mum told the twins it was past nine, so they had to go to bed.
Grandma read a long story to the twins while they sat in bed.
文法句型
in bed
go to bed
make the bed
用法筆記
Often appears without an article in fixed phrases such as 'go to bed', 'in bed', and 'out of bed', where it refers to the activity of sleeping rather than the object itself.
常見錯誤
2. the daily household task of straightening the sheets, smoothing the duvet, and a
the daily household task of straightening the sheets, smoothing the duvet, and arranging the pillows on a bed after someone has got up — referred to almost only through the fixed phrase 'make the bed'.
Mrs Lopez asks her son to make the bed every morning before school.
collocation: make the bed
Otto pulled up the sheets and quickly made the bed for his guest.
Hotel cleaners make about thirty beds during a single morning shift.
Olu forgot to make her bed, and her mother was not pleased.
- tidy up the bed
more general; describes any quick straightening, not the full daily chore
文法句型
make + the bed
make + my/your/her bed
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed pattern 'make the bed' or 'make + possessive + bed'. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a household chore, not the piece of furniture.
常見錯誤
3. a flat layer of one material that supports something else placed on top of it —
a flat layer of one material that supports something else placed on top of it — for example, the gravel under a railway track or the rock under a road.
The workers spread a thick bed of gravel before laying the train tracks.
pattern: a bed of + material
Engineers found an old bed of clay deep beneath the city park.
The new road sits on a strong bed of crushed stone and sand.
The builders poured concrete onto a thick bed of sand to keep the floor level.
- layer
the most general word; not limited to supporting layers
- foundation
emphasises that the layer carries a building or structure
- stratum
technical, used in geology for a single rock layer
文法句型
a bed of + noun
用法筆記
Typical objects of the preposition 'of' are bulk materials: gravel, sand, rock, clay, concrete. Distinguish from sense 5: in cooking, a 'bed of' is food on a plate; here the layer is geological or industrial.
常見錯誤
4. the solid ground that lies below a river, lake, or ocean — the surface that the
the solid ground that lies below a river, lake, or ocean — the surface that the water sits on.
Divers picked up old coins and broken pottery from the bed of the river.
pattern: the bed of the river
Sunlight reached the sandy bed of the shallow bay near Orchid Island.
Strong currents had carved deep holes into the rocky sea bed.
After the long drought, the bed of the lake was dry and cracked.
- surface
the top of the water, opposite of the bed below
文法句型
the bed of + body of water
用法筆記
Often forms compounds: 'riverbed', 'sea bed' (sometimes 'seabed'), 'lake bed'. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense is specifically the floor under a body of water; sense 3 is any supporting layer of material.
常見錯誤
5. a small heap of one kind of food, usually leaves, rice, or noodles, placed on a
a small heap of one kind of food, usually leaves, rice, or noodles, placed on a plate so that another food can be set on top.
The chef placed grilled salmon on a bed of fresh green spinach.
pattern: on a bed of + food
Each piece of beef came on a small bed of buttery white rice.
The waiter served the prawns on a bed of cold noodles and herbs.
Aunt Rosa arranged the roasted lamb on a bed of warm potatoes.
- base
more general; can refer to non-food bases too
文法句型
serve / arrange / sit on a bed of + food
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'on a bed of + [food]' in restaurant menus and cooking writing. Typical bases are leaves, rice, noodles, mashed potato, or polenta — soft or flat foods that hold the main item.
常見錯誤
6. the open, flat area at the back of a pickup truck or other large vehicle, where
the open, flat area at the back of a pickup truck or other large vehicle, where boxes, tools, or other goods are loaded.
Diego loaded six bags of cement into the bed of his red pickup.
pattern: into the bed of + truck
Diego's two large dogs jumped onto the truck bed and lay down in the warm afternoon sun.
compound: truck bed
Heavy rain soaked the boxes that Olu had left in the bed of the truck.
The farmer covered the bed of the pickup with a thick blue tarp.
- cargo area
more formal and general; covers vans and trucks of all kinds
- flatbed
specifically a truck whose cargo area has no sides
文法句型
the bed of + truck/pickup
in the bed of
用法筆記
Most common in American English; British English speakers usually say 'the back of the truck' or 'the load bed'. Often forms the compound 'truck bed' or 'pickup bed'.
常見錯誤
7. a small patch of soil — usually in a yard, balcony planter, or public space — th
a small patch of soil — usually in a yard, balcony planter, or public space — that has been dug, smoothed, and prepared so flowers, vegetables, or shrubs can be planted there.
Grandma planted tulips in the round bed beside her front gate.
collocation: planted ... in the bed
The gardener pulled weeds from the vegetable bed before sunset.
compound: vegetable bed
Eitan spread fresh soil over the empty flower bed last Saturday.
There are neat beds of roses along the path in Hyde Park.
Aunt Rosa dug a small herb bed near the kitchen window so she could pick basil easily.
文法句型
a bed of + plant noun
用法筆記
Often appears in compounds such as 'flower bed', 'vegetable bed', or 'rose bed'. Distinguish from sense 3 (BOTTOM) and sense 4 (river/sea bottom): this sense is a prepared patch of soil for cultivation, not a natural surface under water or another object.
常見錯誤
8. the shortened written form of 'Bachelor of Education' — a university-level quali
the shortened written form of 'Bachelor of Education' — a university-level qualification studied mainly by trainee teachers; can also refer to someone who has earned this qualification.
Yusuf finished his BEd at the University of Manchester last summer.
abbreviation written as BEd
Otto is studying for a BEd because he wants to teach primary school.
pattern: study for a BEd
The school only hires teachers who hold a BEd or a similar degree.
After three years of training, Olu graduated with a BEd in early childhood education.
- Bachelor of Education
the full written form, used in formal documents
- teaching degree
general term that also covers other education qualifications
用法筆記
Almost always written 'BEd' (capital B, capital E, lowercase d) in British and Australian usage; spoken as the three letters 'B-E-D'. Frequently followed by 'in' plus a teaching specialism, e.g. 'BEd in primary education'.
常見錯誤
bed — idiom
bed — abbreviation
1. short form used in writing for the university degree Bachelor of Education, whic
short form used in writing for the university degree Bachelor of Education, which trains people to become teachers; also used to label a person who holds that degree.
Olu finished her BEd at the University of Glasgow last summer.
qualification name written after a person's name
The school will only hire teachers who already hold a BEd or a similar degree.
hold a BEd
Otto is in the second year of his BEd and teaches part-time at a primary school.
Most of the new teachers in our district have a BEd from a local university.
- B.Ed.
alternative punctuation, same meaning
- Bachelor of Education
the full form; more formal in running text
用法筆記
Usually written with a capital B and lower-case 'd' (BEd) and placed after a person's name on official documents, business cards, or staff lists.
常見錯誤
2. short form of binge eating disorder, a mental health condition in which a person
short form of binge eating disorder, a mental health condition in which a person regularly eats very large amounts of food in a short time and feels unable to stop.
Dr. Theo explained that BED is more common than many people realise.
BED + singular verb
The clinic offers a six-week therapy programme for adults living with BED.
people living with BED
Eitan was diagnosed with BED after months of secret late-night eating.
The new study looked at how stress at work can trigger BED in young women.
- binge eating disorder
the full clinical name; preferred in speech
用法筆記
Always written in capitals (BED) and used in clinical or health-writing contexts. In everyday conversation, speakers usually say the full form 'binge eating disorder' instead.