Bedfordshire

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛd.fəd.ʃə(ɹ)/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Proper noun

Bedfordshire

1. A midland county of England, county town Bedford, bounded by Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
2. (British, 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