The Russian language is so vast and multifaceted that you can learn it all your life. There are many unique words in it that are not found in other languages. Some words become obsolete over time, some, on the contrary, appear. Many of them have several different meanings. For example, wondering what a mattress is, you can discover a lot of new things for yourself.
Origin of the word
The word "mattress" came to the Russian language from the ancient Turkic languages and in translation means "weapon, gun, crossbow." The term refers to the type of firearm that launches shells in one gulp. This weapon was used on Slavic and western lands. The first mention of mattresses in Russia dates back to the time of protection from Tokhtamysh. There were several types of this weapon: some mattresses fired with "shot-cutting iron" and were therefore called "good-natured", others were equipped with a cylindrical barrel and were intended for firing with cores, thus representing a kind of gun. However, this meaning has almost disappeared from the modern language.
The direct meaning of the word
Turning to the explanatory dictionaries in order to find out what a mattress is, you first come across the following definition of a word: a mattress is a bag or mattress stuffed with straw, wool or other soft material, and used as a bed. It is amazing what the connection may be between cannon weapons and bedding, however, this is the main meaning of the word in Russian. Until the 17th century, mattresses in Russia were used everywhere until German mattresses were brought into it.
As you know, the new is the well-forgotten old. That is why in our time on the Internet you can find offers to buy a straw mattress. Such an element of the bedroom is characterized by natural materials and environmental friendliness, and looks much more neat and aesthetically pleasing than its predecessor. The manufacturers promise that after sleeping on such a mattress you will feel well rested and full of lightness, as if you were born again.
What is a mattress in figurative meaning
The word is used not less widely in a figurative sense and means a weak-willed person, incapable or unwilling to act and make decisions. It is also used in swear words as an insult. Hints at a resemblance to a fixed stuffed burlap that remains where it was placed.
Human powers are not unlimited, and from time to time each of us is characterized by apathy. How to distinguish a character trait from a temporary fit of inertia?
The mattress is a state of mind, the eternal avoidance of any activity, weakness of will, lethargy of character, underdevelopment and limited personality, lack of interests and motivation, hopeless infantility, while being in apathy is only a signal that something is going wrong at the moment of life and the body needs a reboot.
Another meaning of the word "mattress"
The list of definitions of the word supplements the term used in hydraulic engineering. The mattress means a flexible coating that is used at dams and bridges to protect the banks and riverbeds from spills.
Thus, it turns out that the answer to the question of what a mattress is is extremely ambiguous.