definition of
[featherbed]

[1] #1 featherbed n. [feather bed] a mattress stuffed with feathers. wn

[2] #2 featherbed v. [pamper, cosset, cocker, baby, coddle, mollycoddle, spoil, indulge] treat with excessive indulgence; "grandparents often pamper the children"; "Let's not mollycoddle our students!". wn

[3] #3 featherbed v. hire more workers than are necessary. wn