I. cush ‧ ion 1 S3 /ˈkʊʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: coissin , from Vulgar Latin coxinus , from Latin coxa 'hip' ]
1 . a cloth bag filled with soft material that you put on a chair or the floor to make it more comfortable ⇨ pillow :
a velvet cushion
a cushion cover
2 . something that stops one thing from hitting another thing:
Good sports shoes should provide a cushion when running.
3 . [usually singular] something, especially money, that prevents you from being immediately affected by a bad situation
cushion against
Savings can act as a cushion against unemployment.
4 . the soft rubber edge of the table used for playing ↑ billiards or ↑ snooker
II. cushion 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . to make the effect of a fall or hit less painful, for example by having something soft in the way:
His landing was cushioned by the fresh snow that had fallen.
2 . to protect someone from an unpleasant situation or the unpleasant effects of something
cushion the blow/impact (of something)
generous leaving allowances to help cushion the blow of redundancy
cushion somebody from/against something
Parents today often feel their children should be cushioned from the outside world.