water bed
4
2.7
- noun
- /ˈwɔːtər bɛd/
- Archaic
:
cama de agua
- Do they have a water bed?
- sleep on a water bed
- room with a water bed
- big water bed
Examples
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I used to have a water bed, but the rolling got a bit much.
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Did you know that water beds are good for your back?
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And why do you have a water bed when you live on a boat?
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We got a big water bed.
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These days, Rainey slept in a water bed, where she rested more comfortably.
Fiction book (1999) -
The new facility will have a sensory room, with a water bed and fiber optic lights, and a room for therapists to work in.
Academic text (2008) -
In the bedroom, a decrepit water bed was pushed against one wall, with a bedstand and light to one side and a chest of drawers against the wall at the foot of the bed.
Fiction book (1994) -
Many people find that a water bed provides excellent support for their back while sleeping.
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He decided to replace his old mattress with a water bed for a more comfortable sleep experience.
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The couple enjoyed their new water bed, which was filled with heated water for added comfort.
How Comfortable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a bed filled with water' is directly and compositionally derived from 'water' (the liquid) + 'bed' (sleeping furniture); it specifies the material/content of the bed. This noun–noun compounding is a regular, productive pattern in English and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand it.
Etymology
Water bed comes from a real bed that uses a mattress filled with water, so the top moves a little like small waves when you lie down. That's why it means 'a bed with a mattress made of plastic and filled with water'.