The Russian language is so vast and multifaceted that you can learn it all your life. It has many unique words that are not found in other languages. Some words become obsolete over time, some, on the contrary, appear. Many of them have several dissimilar meanings. For example, if you ask yourself what a mattress is, you can discover a lot of new things for yourself.
Origin of the word
The word "mattress" came into Russian from the ancient Turkic languages and means "weapon, gun, crossbow" in translation. The term refers to a type of firearm that fires projectiles in one gulp. This weapon was used both in 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 these weapons: some mattresses fired with “shot-cutting iron” and therefore were called “shot-cutting”, others were equipped with a cylindrical barrel and were designed to fire cannonballs, thus representing a kind of cannon. However, frommodern language, this meaning has almost disappeared.
Direct meaning of the word
Referring to explanatory dictionaries in order to find out what a mattress is, first of all you come across the following definition of the word: a mattress is a bag or mattress stuffed with straw, wool or other soft material, and used as a bed. It's amazing what a connection can be between a cannon weapon and a bed, nevertheless, this is the main meaning of the word in Russian. Until the 17th century, mattresses were used everywhere in Russia, 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. This element of the bedroom is distinguished by natural materials and environmental friendliness, and looks much more neat and aesthetically pleasing than its predecessor. 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 figuratively
No less widely the word is used in a figurative sense and means a weak-willed person, unable or unwilling to act and make decisions. It is also used in swear words as an insult. Hints at resemblance to immobile stuffed burlap that stays where it is placed.
The forces of man are not unlimited, and from time to timetime, each of us is characterized by apathy. How to distinguish a character trait from a temporary bout of inertia?
A mattress is a state of mind, an eternal avoidance of any activity, weak will, lethargy of character, underdevelopment and limited personality, lack of interests and motivation, hopeless infantilism, while being in apathy is only a signal that at the moment of life what something goes wrong and the body needs a reboot.
Another meaning of the word "mattress"
The list of definitions of the word complements the term used in hydraulic engineering. Mattress refers to a flexible covering used at dams and bridges to protect banks and riverbeds from spills.
Thus, it turns out that the answer to the question of what a mattress is is extremely ambiguous.
