feather-bedding, vbl. n.
[f. feather-bed + -ing.]
(The action of) making comfortable by favourable, esp. economic or financial, treatment; the state of being so treated; spec. the employment of superfluous staff. Hence, as a back-formation, featherbed v. trans., to provide with, esp. economic, advantages; so featherbedded ppl. a.; also feather-bedder, one devoted to physical or intellectual comfort.
| 1921 Bull. Bureau Business Res., Harrow 25 Feather bedding, getting pay for work not done. 1928 G. Cooke Theory Mus. iii. 33 This movement has certainly produced a harshening of our music which should even satisfy those who most object to the feather-bedding of the Victorians. 1943 Reader's Digest Mar. 26/2 For the unions, featherbedding has become an established business procedure. 1949 G. Freedley in Andrews & Trilling Internat. Theatre 41 This has brought about a tight departmentalising which has ‘feather-bedded’ union practices. 1950 Hansard Commons 7 Mar. 183 Examples of gross feather bedding both in Government service..and in private industry. Ibid. 20 Apr. 426 He can rely on this party..not to feather bed..the farmers. 1952 M. McCarthy Groves of Academe (1953) iv. 74 A certain number of seasoned nonconformists and dissenters, sexual deviants, feather-bedders, alcoholics, impostors. 1954 Daily Tel. 6 Feb. 4/7 ‘Featherbedded farmer’ is surely one of the most ludicrous phrases ever coined. 1958 Economist 11 Jan. 131/1 The unions have been able to impose feather-bedding and under-employment. 1962 J. Cannan All is Discovered vi. 149 Those feather⁓bedded farmers with their sprays and their fertilisers. 1971 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 17 Feb. 5/5 Why does he..call us the ‘social elite featherbedded on the taxpayers' money’? |