n. & v.
n. 1 a piece of soft material used to reduce friction or jarring, fill out hollows, hold or absorb liquid, etc. 2 a number of sheets of blank paper fastened together at one edge, for writing or drawing on. 3 = ink-pad. 4 the fleshy underpart of an animal's foot or of a human finger. 5 a guard for the leg and ankle in sports. 6 a flat surface for helicopter take-off or rocket-launching. 7 colloq. a lodging, esp. a bedsitter or flat. 8 the floating leaf of a water lily.
v.tr. (padded, padding) 1 provide with a pad or padding; stuff. 2 (foll. by out) lengthen or fill out (a book etc.) with unnecessary material. padded cell a room with padded walls in a mental hospital.
[ prob. of LG or Du. orig. ]