What are the phrasal verbs in English with “Bed”?

Phrasal verbs are an important part of the English language, providing an opportunity to simplify communication and make it interesting. Phrasal verbs mostly consist of two words: verbs and adverbs or prepositions, which acquire a completely new meaning or are used for some cases. Today we will consider phrases with the word “bed” [bed] – you probably know this word as a noun that means an object on which people sleep. Although “bed” is not usually used in phrasal verbs, there are a few phrases that you should know.

The most popular phrasal verbs and phrases with “bed”

Bed down

• Meaning: To make a place suitable for sleeping or resting.
• Example: After a long day of hiking, we found a quiet spot to bed down for the night.

Bed in

• Meaning: To become established or settled in a place.
• Example: The new employees took some time to bed in before feeling fully comfortable in their roles.

Bed out

• Meaning: To plant something outdoors from a container or a greenhouse.
• Example: We decided to bed out the flowers we had nurtured in the greenhouse, hoping they would thrive in the garden.

Bed with

• Meaning: To form a close and often questionable relationship or alliance with someone or something.
• Example: The politician was criticized for appearing to bed with big corporations, compromising his integrity.

Bed down (with)

• Meaning: To become familiar with something or someone.
• Example: It took a while for the new team member to bed down with the company’s culture and policies.

Bed in

• Meaning: Often heard in the context of mechanical parts, “bed in” refers to the process of allowing new components to settle or adjust to working with each other. For language purposes, we could think metaphorically about becoming comfortable in new surroundings or situations.
• Example: It took a few weeks to bed in at my new job.

Make a bed

• Meaning: To prepare a place for someone to sleep, often by arranging blankets and pillows.
• Example: As a gracious host, she always made a comfortable bed for her guests.

Lie in bed

• Meaning: To stay in bed longer than usual, especially in the morning.
• Example: On weekends, I love to lie in bed and catch up on my favorite books.

Get out of bed on the wrong side

• Meaning: To start the day in a grumpy or irritable mood.
• Example: It seemed like he got out of bed on the wrong side today; he’s been in a bad mood since morning.

Put to bed

• Meaning: To finish or complete a task successfully.
• Example: After months of hard work, the team finally put the project to bed, celebrating their success.

Bed down for the night

• Meaning: To find a place to sleep for the night, usually outdoors or in a temporary location.
• Example: The campers decided to bed down for the night under the starry sky.

Go to bed

• Meaning: This is the most straightforward and commonly used phrase with “bed”. It simply means to retire to one’s bed to sleep.
• Example: I usually go to bed around 10 PM

Understanding and using these phrasal verbs will not only improve your English skills but also make your conversations more engaging and interesting. Try to use them in everyday life and then you will quickly master them.

Exercise

Now, let’s put these phrasal verbs into practice. Try creating sentences with each of the phrasal verbs discussed:

1. Bed down
2. Bed in
3. Bed out
4. Go to bed

Reflect on how changing the context can alter the meaning of these phrases, and share your sentences with a study buddy or a teacher for feedback.