mattress

Pluralmattresses

Formsmattresses, mattressing, mattressed

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A soft, thick pad for sleeping on, usually resting on a bed frame.

   Like a big soft cushion you lie on all night.

   We bought a new mattress because the old one had gotten too soft.

   She flipped the mattress over to help it last longer.

   Note
2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To cover something with a thick, soft layer.

   Like spreading a thick blanket over the ground.

   The gardeners mattress the beds with straw before winter.

   Thick moss mattressed the whole forest floor.

   Similarblanket, carpet, cover

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountable

   A strong support built under or beside something to hold up a foundation or hold back a bank of earth.

   Like a strong cushion under a building that stops the ground from giving way.

   Builders laid a stone mattress to keep the embankment from sliding.

   The bridge sits on a thick mattress that carries its foundation.

4. 4
   nouncountable

   A thick padded cover put around a boiler or pipe to stop heat from escaping.

   Like a warm coat wrapped around the boiler to keep its heat inside.

   The old boiler was wrapped in a thick mattress to hold in the heat.

   Workers fitted a new mattress around the steam pipe.

   Similarlagging, jacket, blanket

   Note

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