A rail or railing attached to the side of a bed, typically used to prevent someone from falling out.
From 'bed' + 'rail' (a bar or rod). The compound emerged in the 15th century as beds became more elevated pieces of furniture requiring safety features for sleeping people, especially children and the elderly.
Bedrails have saved countless sleepers from tumbling onto hard floors for over 500 years—they're one of those simple inventions we rarely think about but would desperately miss in the dark!
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