What is "cushion"

Cushion \Cush"ion\ (k??sh"?n), 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.]

1. A case or bag stuffed with some soft and elastic material, and used to sit or recline upon; a soft pillow or pad.

   Two cushions stuffed with straw, the seat to raise.
   --Dryden.

2. Anything resembling a cushion in properties or use; as:

   1. a pad on which gilders cut gold leaf;

   2. a mass of steam in the end of the cylinder of a steam engine to receive the impact of the piston;

   3. the elastic edge of a billiard table.

3. A riotous kind of dance, formerly common at weddings; -- called also cushion dance.
   --Halliwell.

   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 (Zo["o]l.) a pentagonal starfish belonging to Goniaster, Astrogonium, and other allied genera; -- so called from its form.

Cushion \Cush"ion\ (k[oo^]sh"[u^]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cushioned (-[u^]nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Cushioning.]

1. To seat or place on, or as on a cushion.

   Many who are cushioned on thrones would have remained in obscurity.
   --Bolingbroke.

2. To furnish with cushions; as, to cushion a chaise.

3. To conceal or cover up, as under a cushion.

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

c.1300, from Old French coissin "seat cushion" (12c., Modern French coussin), probably a variant of Vulgar Latin *coxinum, from Latin coxa "hip, thigh," or from Latin culcita "mattress." Someone has counted more than 400 spellings of the this word in Middle English wills and inventories. Also from the French word are Italian cuscino, Spanish cojin.

1730s, from cushion (n.). In the figurative sense, from 1863. Related: Cushioned; cushioning.

n. A soft mass of material stuffed into a cloth bag, used for comfort or support; for sitting on, kneeling on, resting one's head on etc. vb. 1 To furnish with cushions. 2 To seat or place on, or as on a cushion. 3 To absorb or deaden the impact of. 4 To conceal or cover up, as under a cushion.

1. n. a mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses; "the old car needed a new set of shocks" [syn: shock absorber, shock]

2. a soft bag filled with air or a mass of padding such as feathers or foam rubber etc.

3. v. protect from impact; "cushion the blow" [syn: buffer, soften]

A cushion is a soft bag of some ornamental material, stuffed with wool, hair, feathers, polyester staple fiber, non-woven material, or even paper torn into fragments. It may be used for sitting or kneeling upon, or to soften the hardness or angularity of a chair or couch. Decorative cushions often have a patterned cover material, and are used as decoration for furniture.

A cushion is also referred to as a bolster, hassock, headrest and a sham.

Cushions and rugs can be used temporarily outside to soften a hard ground. They can be placed on sunloungers and used to prevent annoyances from moist grass and biting insects. Some dialects of English use this word to refer to throw pillows as well.

The cushion is a very ancient article of furniture; the inventories of the contents of palaces and great houses in the early Middle Ages constantly made mention of them. Cushions were then often of great size, covered with leather, and firm enough to serve as a seat, but the steady tendency of all furniture has been to grow smaller with time. Today, the cushion is considered an upholstery item.

Cushion is the second extended play (EP) by South Korean girl group Sonamoo. The album was released digitally and physically on July 22, 2015. The album contains six tracks with the lead single, "Cushion".