FEATHERBED (featherbedded, featherbedding)
Dictionary entry overview: What does featherbed mean?
• FEATHERBED (noun)
The noun FEATHERBED has 1 sense:
1. a mattress stuffed with feathers
Familiarity information: FEATHERBED used as a noun is very rare.
• FEATHERBED (verb)
The verb FEATHERBED has 2 senses:
1. treat with excessive indulgence
2. hire more workers than are necessary
Familiarity information: FEATHERBED used as a verb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• FEATHERBED (noun)
Meaning:
A mattress stuffed with feathers
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
feather bed; featherbed
Hypernyms ("featherbed" is a kind of...):
mattress (a large thick pad filled with resilient material and often incorporating coiled springs, used as a bed or part of a bed)
• FEATHERBED (verb)
Meaning:
Treat with excessive indulgence
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
pamper; mollycoddle; featherbed; cosset; coddle; cocker; baby; indulge; spoil
Context examples:
grandparents often pamper the children / Let's not mollycoddle our students!
Hypernyms (to "featherbed" is one way to...):
do by; handle; treat (interact in a certain way)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Hire more workers than are necessary
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "featherbed" is one way to...):
employ; engage; hire (engage or hire for work)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
