cushion
verb/ˈkʊʃn/
/ˈkʊʃn/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they cushion | /ˈkʊʃn/ /ˈkʊʃn/ |
| he / she / it cushions | /ˈkʊʃnz/ /ˈkʊʃnz/ |
| past simple cushioned | /ˈkʊʃnd/ /ˈkʊʃnd/ |
| past participle cushioned | /ˈkʊʃnd/ /ˈkʊʃnd/ |
| -ing form cushioning | /ˈkʊʃənɪŋ/ /ˈkʊʃənɪŋ/ |
- cushion something to make the effect of a fall or hit less severe
- My fall was cushioned by the deep snow.
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- cushion somebody/something (against/from something) to protect somebody/something from being hurt or damaged or from the unpleasant effects of something
- 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).
- Homeowners will be cushioned from any tax rises.
Word OriginMiddle 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’.
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cushion