What does cushion mean?
A cushion is a soft bag or pad, typically filled with feathers, foam, down, or air, used to make sitting, kneeling, or reclining more comfortable. Cushions appear as loose decorative items on sofas and beds, as built-in padding within upholstered furniture, and in specialized forms such as seat pads and kneelers. Beyond its physical meaning, the word has important figurative uses: to 'cushion' an impact is to soften or absorb it, so governments may try to cushion the economy from a downturn, or savings may provide a financial cushion against hardship. In games like snooker and billiards, the cushion refers to the padded inner edge of the table's rails that causes balls to rebound. Derived forms include the verb 'to cushion,' the adjectives 'cushioned' and 'cushiony,' and the noun 'cushioning.' Versatile, familiar, and rich in metaphor, 'cushion' is a staple of everyday speech as well as technical and financial writing.
A soft bag or pad filled with compressible material, used to support the body, increase comfort, or decorate furniture; also, a padded surface or structure that absorbs shock.
"He fluffed up the cushions before the guests arrived."
In billiards and snooker, 'the cushion' specifically denotes the rubber-faced rail of the table.
To soften or reduce the force or unpleasant effect of something, whether a physical impact or an abstract setback.
"Rising interest income helped cushion the company against the downturn."
Standard plural; used for multiple pads or, figuratively, multiple protective reserves.
"The window seat was lined with embroidered cushions."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cushion
The word 'cushion' comes into Middle English from Old French 'coissin' (modern French 'coussin'), which likely derives ultimately from Latin 'coxa,' meaning 'hip,' reflecting the pad's use under the hip when sitting. It entered English around the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century. Cognates include French 'coussin' and related Romance forms; the underlying root also gives us anatomical terms connected with the hip.
Related word forms
How cushion is actually used
'Cushion' is neutral in register and common in both British and American English. The verb sense ('to cushion the blow') frequently appears in financial and economic journalism, where it means to soften the negative effects of something. In British English, decorative cushions are sometimes called 'scatter cushions.' The billiards sense refers to the padded rails of the table.
Easily confused with cushion
There is no standard English word 'quashan'; 'cushion' itself is the correct term for a soft supporting pad.