pillow

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: pil=low

CIDE DICTIONARY

pillow, n. [OE. pilwe, AS. pyle, fr. L. pilvinus.].

•  Anything used to support the head of a person when reposing; especially, a sack or case filled with feathers, down, hair, or other soft material.  [1913 Webster]

  "[Resty sloth] finds the down pillow hard."  [1913 Webster]
•  A piece of metal or wood, forming a support to equalize pressure; a brass; a pillow block.  [1913 Webster]
•  A block under the inner end of a bowsprit.  [1913 Webster]
•  A kind of plain, coarse fustian.  [1913 Webster]

Lace pillow, a cushion used in making hand-wrought lace. -- Pillow bier [OE. pilwebere; cf. LG. bÜre a pillowcase], a pillowcase; pillow slip. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- Pillow block (Mach.), a block, or standard, for supporting a journal, as of a shaft. It is usually bolted to the frame or foundation of a machine, and is often furnished with journal boxes, and a movable cover, or cap, for tightening the bearings by means of bolts; -- called also pillar block, or plumber block. -- Pillow lace, handmade lace wrought with bobbins upon a lace pillow. -- Pillow of a plow, a crosspiece of wood which serves to raise or lower the beam. -- Pillow sham, an ornamental covering laid over a pillow when not in use. -- Pillow slip, a pillowcase.

pillow, v. t. 

 To rest or lay upon, or as upon, a pillow; to support; as, to pillow the head.  [1913 Webster]
"Pillows his chin upon an orient wave."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pillow, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a usu. oblong support for the head, esp. in bed, with a cloth cover stuffed with feathers, flock, foam rubber, etc. b any pillow-shaped block or support.
2 = lace-pillow.
--v.tr.
1 rest (the head etc.) on or as if on a pillow (pillowed his head on his arms).
2 serve as a pillow for (moss pillowed her head).

Idiom

pillow-fight a mock fight with pillows, esp. by children. pillow-lace lace made on a lace-pillow. pillow lava lava forming rounded masses. pillow talk romantic or intimate conversation in bed.

Derivative

pillowy adj.

Etymology

OE pyle, pylu, ult. f. L pulvinus cushion

THESAURUS

pillow

afford support, air mattress, back, back up, bear, bear up, bedding, blubber, bolster, bolster up, brace, breeze, buoy up, butter, buttress, carry, clay, cradle, crutch, cushion, dough, down, eiderdown, feather bed, feathers, fleece, floss, flue, fluff, foam, give support, hold, hold up, innerspring mattress, kapok, keep afloat, keep up, lend support, litter, mainstay, maintain, mat, mattress, pad, pallet, plush, prop, pudding, puff, putty, reinforce, rubber, rug, satin, shore, shore up, shoulder, silk, sleeping bag, springs, stay, subsidize, subvention, support, sustain, swansdown, thistledown, underbed, underbedding, underbrace, undergird, underlie, underpin, underset, upbear, uphold, upkeep, velvet, wax, wool, zephyr

ROGET THESAURUS

pillow

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.

Quiescence

N quiescence, rest, stillness, quiescence, stagnation, stagnancy, fixity, immobility, catalepsy, indisturbance, quietism, quiet, tranquility, calm, repose, peace, dead calm, anticyclone, statue-like repose, silence, not a breath of air, not a mouse stirring, sleep, pause, lull, stand still, standing still, lock, dead lock, dead stop, dead stand, full stop, fix, embargo, resting place, gite, bivouac, home, pillow, haven, goal, quiescent, still, motionless, moveless, fixed, stationary, immotile, at rest at a stand, at a standstill, at anchor, stock, still, standing still, sedentary, untraveled, stay-at-home, becalmed, stagnant, quiet, unmoved, undisturbed, unruffled, calm, restful, cataleptic, immovable, sleeping, silent, still as a statue, still as a post, still as a mouse, still as death, vegetative, vegetating, at a stand, tout court, at the halt, Int, stop!, stay!, avast!, halt!, hold hard!, whoa!, hold!, sabr karo!, requiescat in pace, Deus nobis haec otia fecit, the noonday quiet holds the hill.

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.

Physical Pleasure

N physical pleasure, pleasure, physical pleasure, sensual pleasure, sensuous pleasure, bodily enjoyment, animal gratification, hedonism, sensuality, luxuriousness, dissipation, round of pleasure, titillation, gusto, creature comforts, comfort, ease, pillow, luxury, lap of luxury, purple and fine linen, bed of downs, bed of roses, velvet, clover, cup of Circe, treat, refreshment, regale, feast, delice, dainty, bonne bouche, source of pleasure, happiness, enjoying, luxurious, voluptuous, sensual, comfortable, cosy, snug, in comfort, at ease, pleasant, agreeable, in comfort, on a bed of roses, at one's ease, ride si sapis, voluptales commendat rarior usus.