Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire

English

Etymology

From Middle English Bedefordschire, from Old English Bedanfordsċīr, equivalent to Bedford +‎ shire.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛd.fəd.ʃə(ɹ)/

Proper noun

Bedfordshire

1. A midland county of England, county town Bedford, bounded by Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
2. (Britain, slang) Bed.
   • 1993, Tom Wakefield, War Paint

     I'll be up to Bedfordshire if you two don't mind. I'm on early shift in the morning so I'll have to be up and out by five.

   • 1998, Mary Sheepshanks, A Price for Everything

     Now come along young lady, up to Bedfordshire.

Usage notes

The slang sense is used only for bed in its uncountable sense of a place to sleep, never to refer to an individual piece of furniture.

Derived terms

• Bedfordshire clanger
• Central Bedfordshire