sick-bed

A patient rests quietly in a sick-bed by the window.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A bed used by a sick person: "sick-bed" refers to the bed in which someone who is ill lies, often connoting the state of being confined due to illness.
   • The state of being ill: "sick-bed" can also metaphorically mean the condition of being sick or disabled.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient spent weeks confined to his sick-bed. (The person was lying in bed due to illness.)
  • She rose from her sick-bed to attend the meeting. (She recovered enough to leave the bed where she was ill.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be on the sick-bed": to be lying ill in bed.

  • He has been on the sick-bed for three days with a fever. (He has been confined to bed due to sickness.)

• "to rise from one's sick-bed": to recover from an illness and get out of bed.

  • After a week, she finally rose from her sick-bed. (She regained strength and left the bed.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sickbed (n): variant spelling of "sick-bed," meaning the same.

  • The doctor visited the patient's sickbed. (The doctor came to the bed where the patient was ill.)

• Sick (adj): affected by illness.

  • She felt too sick to leave her sick-bed. (She was ill and unable to get up.)

Synonyms

• Bed of illness: a bed used during a period of sickness.

  • He lay on his bed of illness for weeks. (He stayed in bed while sick.)

• Invalid bed: a bed for someone who is chronically ill or disabled.

  • The hospital provided an invalid bed for the elderly patient. (A bed designed for long-term care.)

Related Idioms

• "On the sick list": to be recorded as ill and unable to work or participate.

  • He is on the sick list after his stay in the sick-bed. (He is officially absent due to illness.)

• "Sick-bed recovery": the process of regaining health while confined to bed.

  • Her sick-bed recovery was slow but steady. (She gradually got better while resting in bed.)