upper berth
1
6.8
- noun
- /ˈʌpər bɜrθ/
:
lit superior
- I found it hard to climb into the upper berth of the train because it was so high.
Examples
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I hate sleeping in an upper berth with three kids.
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The upper berth was tucked snugly against the ceiling, making it feel cozy.
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Yours is the upper berth, the number four.
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And the upper berth's too small.
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- The upper berth is...
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Yours is the only available space on this train and I'm in an upper berth.
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I mean, if you've never tried an upper berth before...
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I see only this and the slats of the upper berth.
Blog text (22) -
The Belgian in the upper berth snored.
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So you instructed Mr. McQueen and then returned to your own compartment, the number one and two, whose upper berth was occupied by Signor Foscarelli.
Synonyms
1
7.0
The higher of two sleeping bunks on a train or ship
Antonyms
How High
1
6.8
1
5.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the higher of two sleeping bunks' is directly and compositionally derived from 'upper' (higher) + 'berth' (a built-in bed on trains/ships). This is a straightforward noun–noun/adj–noun combination common across languages and transport contexts, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The name upper berth comes from ships and trains where a berth was a small fixed 'bed' built into the wall, and the upper berth sat above the lower one, often reached by a ladder. So, upper berth means the higher of two sleeping 'bunks'.