hot bed

Noun

• A mass of organic matter decomposing and giving off heat from microbial metabolic action.
• A garden bed using such a heat-generating mass; a hotbox.
• A central point of activity, relating to a specific task.
• A bed shared by workers, sailors, or soldiers operating in shifts or watches (named for the idea that it is still warm when the next occupant gets into it).

Verb

• Reusing sleeping quarters in shifts.
• To farm using hotbeds for season extension.