bed
Great Bed of Ware, carved, inlaid, and painted wood, English, late 16th century; in the Victoria …
(credit: Courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Crown copyright reserved)
Piece of furniture on which a person may recline or sleep. Beds of simple construction appear in medieval manuscripts, as do more decorative beds with carving and inlay, embroidered coverlets, and elaborate hangings. The canopy, or tester, was introduced in the 15th century. In the 1820s the development of coiled springs fitted into mattresses revolutionized the bed. In the Middle East beds consisted of rugs piled up on the floor. In China raised and canopied beds were used 2,000 years ago. The traditional Japanese bed (futon) consists of quilted padding and a coverlet arranged on the floor.
bed1. Med a unit of potential occupancy in a hospital or residential institution
2. a plot of ground in which plants are grown, esp when considered together with the plants in it
3. the bottom of a river, lake, or sea
4. a layer of crushed rock, gravel, etc., used as a foundation for a road, railway, etc
5. a layer of rock, esp sedimentary rock
6. 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
7. a machine base on which a moving part carrying a tool or workpiece slides
8. go to bed Journalism Printing (of a newspaper, magazine, etc.) to go to press; start printing
9. put to beda. Journalism to finalize work on (a newspaper, magazine, etc.) so that it is ready to go to press
b. Printing to lock up the type forme of (a publication) in the press before printing
bed [
bed]
(chemistry)
The ion-exchange resin contained in the column in an ion-exchange system.
(civil engineering)
In masonry and bricklaying, the side of a masonry unit on which the unit lies in the course of the wall; the underside when the unit is placed horizontally.
The layer of mortar on which a masonry unit is set.
(geology)
The smallest division of a stratified rock series, marked by a well-defined divisional plane from its neighbors above and below.
An ore deposit, parallel to the stratification, constituting a regular member of the series of formations; not an intrusion.
(graphic arts)
The surface of a flatbed printing press on which the chase of composed type is secured for printing.
(hydrology)
The bottom of a channel for the passage of water.
(mechanical engineering)
The part of a machine having precisely machined ways or bearing surfaces which support or align other machine parts.
bed
1. In masonry and bricklaying, the side of a masonry unit on which it lies in the course of the wall—the underside when placed horizontally.
2. The layer of mortar on which a masonry unit is set.
3. The lower surface or side of a slate.
4. To set a glass pane in place with putty.
5. In layered stone used for building, a surface parallel to the stratification.
6. A layer (stratum) of rock between two bedding planes.
Bed the usually stationary base of a machine, on which all other assemblies are mounted or on which the assemblies move. Beds are equipped with guides for movable assemblies. They are subjected to stresses originating in other machine assemblies and parts and are usually fastened to a foundation. Beds are cast from pig iron or, less frequently, made by welding up low-carbon steel parts. They have a complex, sometimes boxlike shape. They may be partitioned or ribbed, or they may have open sections; large beds are sectionalized. Beds for metal-cutting machine tools and presses have the most typical construction. For work on particularly heavy workpieces, the bed of a machine moves along guides and the workpiece remains stationary. The principal requirements for a bed are high rigidity, high resistance to vibrations, and high precision and wear resistance for the guides.
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