featherbed

Meanings

1. A mattress stuffed with feathers.
2. An area of bog where a layer of moss covers a pool of water or mud, presenting a hazard to walkers who may fall through it. (Also in UK and Irish placenames.)
3. A soft, slow pitch of predictable bounce.

1. To treat someone with excessive indulgence; to pamper, cosset or mollycoddle.
2. To engage in featherbedding; to employ more workers than necessary to fulfill a labor union requirement.

Etymology

From feather + bed.