mattressmat‧tress /ˈmætrɪs/ ●●○ noun [countable] 
an old, lumpy mattress
WORD ORIGINmattress
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French materas, from Arabic matrah ‘place where something is thrown’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- It's important to have a good firm mattress.
- I am opposed to air mattresses at a rendezvous, personally.
- Not surprisingly they're the most expensive too and the only type suitable to use with a pocket-sprung mattress.
- Sheets and mattress protectors are also available, if you have problems during the night.
- Shown here is the Regal Supreme, supplied complete with a pocket-sprung mattress to bring modern comfort to antique furniture.
- Then we barricaded ourselves in, piled our mattresses against the cell door.
- We half sat, half lay on the mattress.
- We sat on the mattress because that was all the furniture I had.
WORD SETS
antique, nounarm, nounarmchair, nounback, nounbeanbag, nounbed, nounbedhead, nounbedpost, nounbedstead, nounbookcase, nounbookshelf, nounbuffet, nounbunk, nounbureau, nouncanopy, nouncard table, nouncarrycot, nouncart, nouncatchall, nounchair, nounchaise longue, nounchesterfield, nounchest of drawers, nouncoat rack, nouncoatstand, nouncoffee table, nouncommode, nouncot, nouncouch, nouncounter, nouncupboard, noundeckchair, noundesk, noundining table, noundivan, noundouble bed, noundrawer, noundresser, noundustsheet, nouneasy chair, nounescritoire, nounfireguard, nounfirescreen, nounfitment, nounfitted, adjectivefloor lamp, nounfoldaway, adjectivefolding, adjectivefootrest, nounfootstool, nounfour-poster bed, nounfuton, nounGeorgian, adjectivegramophone, noungrandfather clock, noungrate, nounhat stand, nounheadboard, nounheadrest, nounhighboy, nounhighchair, nounhorsehair, nounhot tub, nounhutch, nounJacuzzi, nounlamp, nounlampshade, nounlawn chair, nounleg, nounlooking glass, nounlove seat, nounmattress, nounnightlight, nounnightstand, nounoccasional table, nounottoman, nounpadded, adjectivepedestal, nounpouffe, nounradiogram, nounrocker, nounrocking chair, nounrococo, adjectiveseat, nounsettee, nounshelf, nounshelving, nounsideboard, nounslipcover, nounsofa, nounsofa bed, nounsprung, adjectivestand, nounstandard lamp, nounstool, nounstuffing, nounsuite, nounswivel chair, nountable, nountallboy, nountea chest, nounthree-piece suite, nounthrone, nountwin bed, noununit, nounupholster, verbupholstery, nounveneer, nounveneered, adjectivewardrobe, nounwashstand, nounwaterbed, nounWelsh dresser, nounwindow seat, nounwork-surface, nounwriting desk, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY an old, lumpy mattressCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
the soft part of a bed that you lie onfirm/soft/hard etc mattress an old, lumpy mattress· That, too, depends on individual choice, though medical opinion usually favours the hard mattress.· The beds in the dormitory pull down from the wall and have hard plastic mattresses.· They can still sleep in comfort because one half of the bed has a hard mattress, the other soft.
· There was a new straw mattress and brass bedsteads on which the morning sun glittered like gold.· It may take a little time to adjust to anything, from strange surroundings to a new mattress.
NOUN· Spring and foam mattresses are a fairly new innovation, arguably combining the best of both worlds.· A foam mattress supports the body with foam.· A foam mattress was still saturated and a bottle of Johnson's Baby Sun Block was unreadable because of the blood.
· Then, pocketing the money, she placed the box back underneath the straw mattress and rolled Granny on to her back again.· Isabel bounced once against the plump straw mattress, then made a frantic bid for freedom.· At first it was pleasant to lie back on the straw mattress and relax.· It was an iron bed with two folded blankets on it and a thin straw mattress.· There was a new straw mattress and brass bedsteads on which the morning sun glittered like gold.· If the straw mattress was an inch out of line with the plank bed base, his food was reduced by one meal.· Then they laid her back on the straw mattress and covered her with a sheet.
VERB· She was indoors, lying on a damp mattress, it was dark.· We half sat, half lay on the mattress.· They lie on a mattress in the living room and make love by candlelight.· We lay on our mattress, propped against the back wall of the lean-to.· In the haze I could see figures lying on mattresses on the floor.· Ngune lay on the single mattress in the corner of his cell.· All she wanted now was to get really stoned and lie back on the mattress thinking good thoughts.· Now he could see that the shape in the hut lay on a mattress.
· He believed in the simple life and slept on a mattress on the floor.· I slept on a mattress on the floor at cockroach level.· The one-time King of Crime sleeps on a thin mattress on the floor, next to a stainless-steel toilet.· So Noreen slept on a mattress too, a very hard one.
an old, lumpy mattress