I read Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch.
And I found this sentence in the book:
He said that maybe it should pull out into a Watermelon Bed.
What does it "pull out" mean?
And I wonder why author put "Watermelon Bed" instead of watermelon bed.
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Ruah, The most common use of "pull out" is to get something out of a container. For example, "She opened her backpack and pulled out a water bottle," just means that she took a water bottle out of her backpack. The use of "pull out" in your question is a special meaning for that kind of furniture. @snailplane - I, too, have never heard of a Watermelon Bed. Maybe it is outdated slang for a futon?– Will MurphyCommented Aug 9, 2014 at 1:35
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3@snail - Most references to watermelon bed are on gardening pages, but there is this one book reference. Apparently, in one of the Henry & Mudge children's books, dad and son make mom a pineapple sofa, and someone gets a bit carried away, suggesting it should "pull out into a watermelon bed." A good example of why quotes should provide context and identify the source.– J.R. ♦Commented Aug 9, 2014 at 7:39
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Would it be correct to think of the full phrasal verb as "pull out into"? The transformation is part of the whole verb package?– shawnt00Commented Feb 10, 2015 at 16:24
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2 Answers
This sentence means that the couch (or whatever they're talking about) can be turned into a bed by pulling part of it away from the rest, so that it unfolds.
For example, I could say, "that couch is a futon. It pulls out into a bed." That means that I can unfold the couch to make it a bed.
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1In this case, the part that pulls out would be a slice of watermelon, pulling out from the pineapple sofa, seen on the cover of this book.– J.R. ♦Commented Aug 9, 2014 at 7:43
I think it is a piece of furniture that will open up to be a "Watermelon Bed".
This would be similar to a sofa bed, which is normally used as a sofa, but the part below the cushions (a bed frame) can be pulled out to turn it into a bed.
