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Glite Dictionary
to bed down

to bed down

4 4.5
To sleep in a temporary place like a barn or tent
  • phrasal verb
  • /bɛd daʊn/
translation icon : acostarse
  • After a long hike, we found a quiet spot to bed down for the night.
  • bed down for the night
  • place to bed down

Examples

Synonyms

to go to bed
vsto bed down
485 1.0

To get into bed to sleep

shares going to sleep but uniquely highlights temporary or makeshift sleeping spots
to go to sleep
vsto bed down
369 1.0

To stop being awake and rest with your eyes closed

covers the same sleep outcome but emphasises a temporary sleeping place
to lie down
vsto bed down
221 1.0

To put your body flat on a bed to rest or sleep

focuses instead on settling to sleep specifically in temporary places
to turn in
vsto bed down
  • Informal
27 3.5

To go to bed to sleep

covers the same act but adds the idea of temporary or improvised location
to hit the sack
vsto bed down
  • Informal
10 6.0

To go to bed to sleep

also denotes sleeping but stresses doing so in a temporary place
to hit the hay
vsto bed down
  • Informal
8 6.0

To go to bed to sleep after a long day

shares that meaning but adds the sense of improvised or temporary sleeping
to bunk down
vsto bed down
  • Informal
5 6.8

To sleep in a temporary place like on the floor or in the living room

means the same action but is the more general everyday phrase
to sack out
vsto bed down
  • Informal
4 7.5

To go to bed to sleep

is similar but stresses sleeping in a temporary or improvised location
to hit the pillow
vsto bed down
  • Informal
4 3.7

To go to bed and fall asleep quickly because you are tired

involves sleep too but focuses on settling in a temporary spot rather than speed
to crawl in
vsto bed down
  • Informal
3 3.3

To go to bed slowly because you feel very tired

involves sleep too but stresses the temporary or improvised sleeping place
to hit the sheets
vsto bed down
  • Informal
1 8.6

To go to bed to sleep

is similar yet specifically highlights sleeping in a temporary spot
to doss down
vsto bed down
  • UK
9.5

To sleep somewhere that is not your usual bed, often in an uncomfortable place

focuses similarly on temporary sleep but is more neutral everyday wording
to kip down
vsto bed down
  • UK
9.6

To sleep somewhere for a short time, often on a sofa

shares temporary sense but is a more general phrase for settling to sleep
to lay one's head
vsto bed down
4.2

To find a place to sleep or rest

is similar but emphasizes settling down rather than the act of finding place
to fall in the sack
vsto bed down
  • Informal
8.8

To go to bed or sleep

is similar informally but emphasises sleeping in a temporary place

Antonyms

to wake up
∞ 1.0

To stop sleeping or make someone else stop sleeping

How Soundly

to sleep
∞ 1.0
to slumber
15 3.8
to bed down
4 4.5
to fall asleep
376 1.0
to nod off
  • Informal
12 4.1
to doze
43 2.3

Surface Forms

bed down infinitive
bedding down present participle
beds down third person singular
bedded down past
bedded down past participle

Morphology

bed + down

The combination of 'bed' (to provide sleeping accommodation) and 'down' (to settle lower) transparently signals settling to sleep, so a learner who knows both words would likely infer the basic meaning. However, the specific usage as a phrasal verb (often implying temporary or improvised sleeping arrangements) and the slightly idiomatic particle nuance are not fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

The phrasal verb bed down comes from the image of making a quick bed on the ground and lying down to rest. So, bed down means 'to go to sleep' or 'to settle for the night', often in a temporary or improvised place.