A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1457-1645
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Fedder bed, Feddir bed, n. Also: feder, fedir, fader, fadir bed. [e.m.E. (c 1515) and late ME. federbed (1480). Cf. Fetherbed.] A bed stuffed with feathers. (Very common after 1500.) 1457 Peebles B. Rec. 119.
A fader bed, a cruk, a chak, a chyar 1483 Acts Lords Auditors 119/2.
A fedder bed … , curtynnis and rufe of worsat 1498 Dunferm. B. Rec. 84.
Ane new feddirbed, ane bovstir 1506 Treasurer's Accounts III. 50.
For ane fedir bed for the Quene 1535 Stewart 33671.
All fedder beddis forbiddin wes also 1551 Reg. Cupar A. II. 71.
Our said place at all tymes salbe … furnist with fowr fedder beddys, fowr vthiris beddys, conuenient for seruandis 1583 Elgin Rec. I. 172.
Ane standen bed, ane feddir bed 1612 Edinburgh Testaments XLVII. 8 b.
Ane auld clouttit fedder bed 1645 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III. 44.
A fedderbed with ane downbed and bowster
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"Fedder Bed n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/fedder_bed>
