Prepare for a battle or adopt a warlike stance.
In times of war or siege, Italian families would vacate their homes and rent apartments in safer areas. In order to protect themselves they would hire soldiers to sleep on the floor in shifts.
Ordinarily we would want to verify such stories before publishing them here as part of a phrase derivation. In this case though it isn't really important. The meaning of the phrase turns on the association in Italian folk-memory of mattresses with safety in wartime. The phrase wasn't well known outside of the USA and Italy prior to the Godfather movies. It was used there, and later in The Sopranos television series, to mean 'preparing for battle'. Whether or not the stories that originated it are true doesn't alter the fact that the screenwriters of those films used them in that context.
In times of war or siege, Italian families would vacate their homes and rent apartments in safer areas. In order to protect themselves they would hire soldiers to sleep on the floor in shifts.
Ordinarily we would want to verify such stories before publishing them here as part of a phrase derivation. In this case though it isn't really important. The meaning of the phrase turns on the association in Italian folk-memory of mattresses with safety in wartime. The phrase wasn't well known outside of the USA and Italy prior to the Godfather movies. It was used there, and later in The Sopranos television series, to mean 'preparing for battle'. Whether or not the stories that originated it are true doesn't alter the fact that the screenwriters of those films used them in that context.
"That Sonny's runnin' wild. He's thinkin'a going to the mattresses already."
Mainly popularized by the film, "The Godfather."
Mainly popularized by the film, "The Godfather."
by icanjuggle2 March 17, 2010
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Get the Mattress Mamboo mug.Related Words
Muttr
• muttrageous
• Muttreja
• Muttrimony
• muttrosexual
• mattress
• Mutted
• multra
• mattress back
• Mutter
"When I awoke this morning, I was sleeping face-down and had a raging mattress-stabber. I hope my water bed isn't leaking."
by dymebag dave June 11, 2009
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Get the se mettre la race mug.Sitting on the floor shooting up then slowly sliding down on to the heroin mattress as you lose consciousness.
The floor in a crash pad or notorious junkies squat that many use as a bed after getting on.
The floor in a crash pad or notorious junkies squat that many use as a bed after getting on.
by Wimberley December 4, 2009
Get the heroin mattress mug.A prostitute; in particular one who will vocally and physically simulate orgasmic pleasure for her clients.
Jade, the coutesan, is renowned for being a high class mattress actress for those who can afford her services.
by fiery69 May 17, 2006
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