cushion

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 (AmE also pillow) a fabric 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. * Underlay forms a cushion between the carpet and the floor, to minimize wear. 3 [usuallysing.] ~ (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 soften the effect of a fall or hit: My fall was cushioned by the deep snow. 2 ~ sb/sth (against / from sth) to protect sb/sth from harm or 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 [usuallypassive] to make sth soft with a cushion