press-bed

A family unfolds the press-bed in the guest room.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of bed that folds up into a cabinet: "press-bed" refers to a bed designed to be folded or stored away inside a cabinet (a "press") when not in use, saving space in a room.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The small apartment had a press-bed that folded into the wall. (A bed that could be stored in a cabinet to save space.)
  • Guests slept on the press-bed, which was hidden in a wooden wardrobe during the day. (The bed was concealed in a cabinet when not needed.)

Advanced Usage

• "press-bed" as a historical term: In older English, "press" often meant a large cupboard or wardrobe. Thus, a "press-bed" was a bed built into or stored within such furniture.
  • The Victorian house still contained a press-bed in the servant's quarters. (A bed stored in a cupboard, typical of the era.)

Variants and Related Words

• Press (noun): a large cupboard or wardrobe, especially one used for storing clothes or linens.

  • She kept her linens in the old oak press. (The cupboard.)

• Bed-press (noun): an alternative term for a press-bed, though less common.

  • The antique bed-press was a clever space-saving invention. (The bed that folds into a cabinet.)

Synonyms

• Folding bed: a bed that can be folded into a compact form.
• Murphy bed: a bed that folds into a wall or cabinet (modern term for a similar concept).
• Wall bed: a bed that is stored vertically against a wall.

Related Idioms

• "To make a press of something": an older phrase meaning to store or pack something tightly.
  • They made a press of the spare blankets in the cabinet. (They stored them compactly.)

Note: There are no common phrasal verbs or idioms specifically associated with "press-bed" as a single word, as it is a compound noun with a specific, limited meaning.