Cushion

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: cush=ion

CIDE DICTIONARY

Cushion, n. [OE. cuischun, quisshen, OF. coissin, cuissin, F. coussin, fr. (assumed) LL. culcitinum, dim. of L. culcita cushion, mattress, pillow. See Quilt, and cf. Counterpoint a coverlet.].

•  A case or bag stuffed with some soft and elastic material, and used to sit or recline upon; a soft pillow or pad.  [1913 Webster]

  "Two cushions stuffed with straw, the seat to raise."  [1913 Webster]
•  Anything resembling a cushion in properties or use  [1913 Webster]
•  A riotous kind of dance, formerly common at weddings; -- called also cushion dance.  Halliwell.  [1913 Webster]

Cushion capital.(Arch.) A capital so sculptured as to appear like a cushion pressed down by the weight of its entablature. (b) A name given to a form of capital, much used in the Romanesque style, modeled like a bowl, the upper part of which is cut away on four sides, leaving vertical faces. -- Cushion star (Zoöl.) a pentagonal starfish belonging to Goniaster, Astrogonium, and other allied genera; -- so called from its form.

Cushion, v. t. 

•  To seat or place on, or as on a cushion.  [1913 Webster]

  "Many who are cushioned on thrones would have remained in obscurity."  [1913 Webster]
•  To furnish with cushions; as, to cushion a chaise.  [1913 Webster]
•  To conceal or cover up, as under a cushion.  [1913 Webster]

Cushioned hammer, a dead-stroke hammer. See under Dead-stroke.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Cushion, n. & v.
--n.
1 a bag of cloth etc. stuffed with a mass of soft material, used as a soft support for sitting or leaning on etc.
2 a means of protection against shock.
3 the elastic lining of the sides of a billiard-table, from which the ball rebounds.
4 a body of air supporting a hovercraft etc.
5 the frog of a horse's hoof.
--v.tr.
1 provide or protect with a cushion or cushions.
2 provide with a defence; protect.
3 mitigate the adverse effects of (cushioned the blow).
4 quietly suppress.
5 place or bounce (the ball) against the cushion in billiards.

Derivative

cushiony adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF co(i)ssin, cu(i)ssin f. Gallo-Roman f. L culcita mattress, cushion

THESAURUS

Cushion

abate, absorb, absorb the shock, acoustic tile, aegis, afford support, air mattress, allay, alleviate, alleviative, alleviator, anesthetize, anodyne, antiknock, appease, arm, arm guard, armor, assuage, assuager, back, back up, backstop, baffle, baffler, balm, barrier, bear, bear up, bedding, benumb, bless, blubber, bolster, bolster up, brace, brattice, break the fall, breeze, buffer, buffer state, bulkhead, bulwark, bumper, buoy up, butter, buttress, calmative, carry, champion, clay, cloak, cloison, collision mat, compass about, contraceptive, copyright, cover, cradle, crash helmet, crutch, damp, dampen, dampener, damper, dashboard, deaden, deaden the pain, deafen, defend, diaphragm, diminish, dissepiment, dividing line, dividing wall, division, dodger, dolorifuge, dough, down, dull, ease, ease matters, eiderdown, ensure, face mask, feather bed, feathers, fence, fend, fender, finger guard, fleece, floss, flue, fluff, foam, foment, foot guard, fuse, gag, gentle, give relief, give support, goggles, governor, guarantee, guard, guardrail, hand guard, handrail, harbor, hard hat, haven, helmet, hold, hold up, hushcloth, innerspring mattress, insulate, insulation, insure, interlock, interseptum, kapok, keep, keep afloat, keep from harm, keep up, knead, knee guard, knuckle guard, laminated glass, laxate, lay, lend support, lenitive, lessen, life preserver, lifeline, lightning conductor, lightning rod, limber, limber up, litter, loosen, lull, mainstay, maintain, make safe, mash, mask, massage, mat, mattress, mellow, midriff, midsection, milden, mitigate, mitigator, moderator, modulator, mollifier, mollify, mudguard, muffle, muffler, mute, muzzle, nestle, neutralize, nose guard, numb, offset, pacificator, pacifier, pad, padding, palladium, pallet, palliate, palliative, panel, paries, partition, party wall, patent, peacemaker, pillow, pilot, plump, plush, police, poultice, pour balm into, pour oil on, preventive, prop, property line, prophylactic, protect, protective clothing, protective umbrella, pudding, puff, pulp, putty, quietener, reduce, register, reinforce, relax, relieve, restraining hand, ride shotgun for, rubber, rug, safeguard, safety, safety glass, safety plug, safety rail, safety shoes, safety switch, safety valve, salve, satin, screen, seat belt, secure, sedative, separation, septulum, septum, shake up, shelter, shield, shin guard, shock absorber, shock pad, shore, shore up, shoulder, show consideration, show mercy, show pity, shroud, silence cloth, silencer, silk, slacken, slake, sleeping bag, smash, soft pedal, soft-pedal, soften, soften the blow, soften up, soothe, soother, soothing syrup, sordine, sordino, sound-absorbing material, soundproofing, soundproofing insulation, sourdine, springs, squash, stabilizer, stay, stop, stupe, subdue, subsidize, subvention, sun helmet, supple, support, suppress, sustain, swansdown, temperer, tenderize, thistledown, tone down, tranquilizer, tune down, umbrella, underbed, underbedding, underbrace, undergird, underlie, underpin, underset, underwrite, upbear, uphold, upkeep, velvet, wall, wax, windscreen, windshield, wiser head, wool, zephyr

ROGET THESAURUS

Cushion

Pleasure

N pleasure, gratification, enjoyment, fruition, oblectation, delectation, delection, relish, zest, gusto, satisfaction, complacency, well-being, good, snugness, comfort, ease, cushion, sans souci, without worry, mind at ease, joy, gladness, delight, glee, cheer, sunshine, cheerfulness, treat, refreshment, amusement, luxury, mens sana in corpore sano, a sound mind in a sound body, happiness, felicity, bliss, beatitude, beautification, enchantment, transport, rapture, ravishment, ecstasy, summum bonum, paradise, elysium, third heaven, seventh heaven, cloud nine, unalloyed happiness, hedonics, hedonism, honeymoon, palmy days, halcyon days, golden age, golden time, Dixie, Dixie's land, Saturnia regna, Arcadia, Shangri-La, happy valley, Agapemone, pleased, not sorry, glad, gladsome, pleased as Punch, happy, blest, blessed, blissful, beatified, happy as a clam at high water, happy as a clam, happy as a king, happy as the day is long, thrice happy, ter quaterque beatus, enjoying, joyful, hedonic, in a blissful state, in paradise, in raptures, in ecstasies, in a transport of delight, comfortable, at ease, content, sans souci, overjoyed, entranced, enchanted, enraptures, enravished, transported, fascinated, captivated, with a joyful face, with sparkling eyes, pleasing, ecstatic, beatic, painless, unalloyed, without alloy, cloudless, happily, with pleasure, with glee, one's heart leaping with joy, a wilderness of sweets, I wish you all the joy that you can wish, jour de ma vie, joy ruled the day and love the night, joys season'd high and tasting strong of guilt, oh happiness, our being's end and aim!, there is a pleasure that is born of pain, throned on highest bliss, vedi Napoli e poi muori, zwischen Freud und Leid ist die Brucke nicht weit, the bridge between joy and sorrow is not wide.

Relief

N relief, deliverance, refreshment, easement, softening, alleviation, mitigation, palliation, soothing, lullaby, solace, consolation, comfort, encouragement, lenitive, restorative, cushion, crumb of comfort, balm in Gilead, relieving, consolatory, soothing, assuaging, assuasive, balmy, balsamic, lenitive, palliative, anodyne, curative, here comes a man of comfort.

Support

N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.

Softness

N softness, pliableness, flexibility, pliancy, pliability, sequacity, malleability, ductility, tractility, extendibility, extensibility, plasticity, inelasticity, flaccidity, laxity, penetrability, clay, wax, butter, dough, pudding, alumina, argil, cushion, pillow, feather bed, down, padding, wadding, foam, mollification, softening, soft, tender, supple, pliant, pliable, flexible, flexile, lithe, lithesome, lissom, limber, plastic, ductile, tractile, tractable, malleable, extensile, sequacious, inelastic, aluminous, remollient, yielding, flabby, limp, flimsy, doughy, spongy, penetrable, foamy, cushiony, flaccid, flocculent, downy, edematous, oedematous, medullary, argillaceous, mellow, soft as butter, soft as down, soft as silk, yielding as wax, tender as chicken.