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cushion

Pronunciation: /ˈkʊʃ(ə)n/

Translate cushion | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of cushion

noun

  • 1a bag of cloth stuffed with a mass of soft material, used as a comfortable support for sitting or leaning on: comfortable chairs and sofas piled with cushions
  • 2something providing support or protection against impact:underlay forms a cushion between carpet and floor
  • the elastic lining of the sides of a billiard table, from which the ball rebounds.
  • the layer of air supporting a hovercraft or similar vehicle.

verb

[with object]
  • 1soften the effect of an impact on:the bag cushions equipment from inevitable knocks
  • 2mitigate the adverse effects of:to cushion the blow, wages and pensions were increased

Derivatives

cushioned

adjective
cushioned seats

cushiony

adjective

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French cuissin, based on a Latin word meaning 'cushion for the hip', from coxa 'hip, thigh'. The Romans also had a word cubital 'elbow cushion', from cubitus 'elbow'

cushion in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of cushion in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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