featherbed
Americanverb (used with or without object)
Etymology
Origin of featherbed
First recorded in 1945–50; back formation from featherbedding
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.
See Examples For:
Although the pitch seems like a featherbed now, there is a suggestion of low bounce and turn.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2023
The lights flickered on and weightlessness returned, cradling me like a featherbed.
From Nature ● Oct. 17, 2017
“The program has also become a kind of featherbed for parents who might have, in the past, considered redshirting their children.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2016
The pitch for that match was a slow featherbed which contributed to a bore draw.
From The Guardian ● May 19, 2013
Bran preferred the hard stone of the window seat to the comforts of his featherbed and blankets.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Commuters have been "featherbedded" but other passengers have been hit hard, Doe argues.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2013
A solid pension, good connections, membership of the right clubs, a contented, featherbedded old age.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 21, 2012
The couple's action-packed lifestyle comes thanks to their erstwhile employer, telecom company Pacific Bell, which featherbedded them into early retirement.
From Time ● Jun. 11, 2011
Ed Gilbert himself never featherbedded aboard a diesel.
From Time Magazine Archive
For a time Pinto was able to stop the endless cranking out of meaningless new currency; he also fought against featherbedded government payrolls, called on workers and management to hold down wages and prices.
From Time Magazine Archive
This full-employment plan for kooks and hucksters gives new meaning to featherbedding.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 16, 2022
We can certainly find lots of instances of journalistic corruption -- fake quotes, fabricated stories, featherbedding etc.
From Fox News ● Sep. 16, 2020
The police have not defined their costs, and without a clear accounting of them, Wittenberg and other race promoters say they could end up becoming a victim of featherbedding.
From New York Times ● Feb. 9, 2011
When every joke about your business mentions featherbedding, you should be worried about outsourcing.
From Economist ● Dec. 16, 2010
In the Soviet complex the labor unions were in no position to block the introduction of ultra-efficient methods, and featherbedding was unheard of.
From Combat by Mack Reynolds
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
