Definition of "mattress" []

• A usually rectangular pad of heavy cloth filled with soft material or an arrangement of coiled springs, used as or on a bed. (noun)
• An airtight inflatable pad used as or on a bed or as a cushion. (noun)
• A closely woven mat of brush and poles used to protect an embankment, a dike, or a dam from erosion. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Both Berna and Goldberg bristle at the term "mattress," since these patches of floor coverings may have served a variety of purposes."
• "Heaven and earth are being moved to make sure money in the mattress is the worst possible choice."
• "Money in the mattress is the very best choice if assets deflate or if you are denied access to your cash equivalent assets."