abed
adverb
in bed.
A.B.Ed.
2
American
abbreviation
abed
British
/ əˈbɛd /
adverb
Etymology
Origin of abed
Middle English word dating back to 1200–1300; see origin at a- 1, bed
Explanation
To be abed means to be in bed, whether you're resting, sleeping, or just lounging with a good book. Derived from the Old English term onbedd, the word abed paints a cozy picture of rest and relaxation. It refers to the act of staying in bed for any reason, whether to enjoy a lazy Sunday morning or to recuperate from an illness. Staying abed allows you to snuggle under warm blankets, savor a good book, or simply enjoy the comfort of home while recharging your energy.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But we have also filled our cemeteries with those who defied the remedies of sunshine and citrus, and died abed anyway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2024
Above the narrow little room where May and Timothy sit plotting, their father lies abed, his wits gone haywire.
From New York Times ● Oct. 19, 2021
Gentlemen in England now abed, or just watching it on TV, will think themselves accursed they weren’t there.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 27, 2017
I began to notice I was losing sleep about a decade ago − at first just a little top-and-tailing of the main period of repose, so I lay abed an hour or so less.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2015
Lord Hoster Tiilly was much as she had left him— abed, haggard, flesh pale and clammy.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
