/ ˈkʊʃn; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
( NAmE also pil·low ) a cloth bag filled with soft material or feathers that is used, for example, to make a seat more comfortable :
matching curtains and cushions
a floor cushion (= a large cushion that you put on the floor to sit on)
a pile of scatter cushions (= small cushions , often in bright colours, that you put on chairs, etc.)
( figurative )
a cushion of moss on a rock
2.
a layer of sth between two surfaces that keeps them apart :
A hovercraft rides on a cushion of air.
3.
[ usually sing. ] cushion (against sth) something that protects you against sth unpleasant that might happen :
His savings were a comfortable cushion against financial problems.
The team built up a safe cushion of two goals in the first half.
4.
( in the game of billiards , etc. ) the soft inside edge along each side of the table, that the balls bounce off
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to make the effect of a fall or hit less severe :
My fall was cushioned by the deep snow.
2.
cushion sb/sth (against / from sth) to protect sb/sth from being hurt or damaged or from the unpleasant effects of sth :
The south of the country has been cushioned from the worst effects of the recession.
He broke the news of my brother's death to me, making no effort to cushion the blow (= make the news less shocking) .
3.
[ usually passive ] to make sth soft with a cushion
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French cuissin , based on a Latin word meaning cushion for the hip, from coxa hip, thigh. The Romans also had a word cubital elbow cushion, from cubitus elbow.