bed check

noun

In a dormitory, as in the military or at a children's campground or in a boarding school, an inspection after bedtime by authorities to ensure that everyone is present and in his or her bed.

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Meanings

nounbed check (plural bed checks)

plural bed checks · alternative bed-check

  1. USIn a dormitory, as in the military or at a children's campground or in a boarding school, an inspection after bedtime by authorities to ensure that everyone is present and in his or her bed.

    Pro football training camp means different things to different people. . . . [T]he printed schedule runs from wake-up call at 7 A.M. to bed check at 11 P.M.

    1982 August 1, Frank Litsky, “Giants' Camp Stirs Variety of Emotions”, in New York Times, retrieved 27 Jul 2014
    2 more examples

    His military career was marked by . . . a report which read: "Individual is unable to conform to military rules and regulations. Misses bed check: sleeps while supposed to be working."

    2010 August 8, Ed Vulliamy, “Jimi Hendrix: 'You never told me he was that good'”, in The Guardian, UK, retrieved 27 Jul 2014

    The FBI said surveillance footage from a camera near the Metropolitan Correction Center shows Kenneth Conley and Joseph Banks getting into a cab at about 2:45 a.m. Thursday — about two hours after guards were supposed to do a bed check.

    2012 December 20, “FBI offers $50K reward in Chicago jail escape”, in USA Today, retrieved 27 Jul 2014
Cite this entry
APA

bed check. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bed%20check

MLA

“bed check.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bed%20check. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bed check,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bed%20check.

Source: bed check on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.