Cushion
/ˈkʊʃən/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA soft mass of material stuffed into a cloth bag, used for comfort or support.
nounA soft mass of material stuffed into a cloth bag, used for comfort or support., A throw pillow.
Sentence Examples
The old woman was snugly sitting on a cushion.
No practical joker should be without a whoopee cushion.
Brighten up your room with some colourful cushion covers.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She placed a soft ____ on the chair to make it more comfortable.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The old woman was snugly sitting on a ____.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English quysshyn, from later Old French coissin (modern coussin), from Vulgar Latin *coxīnus (“seat pad”), derived from Latin coxa (“hip, thigh”) (with the suffix possibly after Latin pulvīnus (“pillow”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *koḱs- (“joint, limb”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"“There the cause of death was soon ascertained ; the victim of this daring outrage had been stabbed to death from ear to ear with a long, sharp instrument, in shape like an antique stiletto, which […] was subsequently found under the cushions of the hansom.[…]”"
— 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Tremarn Case”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:
"There were many wooden chairs for the bulk of his visitors, and two wicker armchairs with red cloth cushions for superior people. From the packing-cases had emerged some Indian clubs,[…], and all these articles[…] made a scattered and untidy decoration that Mrs. Clough assiduously dusted and greatly cherished."
— 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
"Wisla made a bright start to the second half and Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer was twice called into action, first saving Gervasio Nunez's deflected 20-yard effort and then smothering Gargula's free-kick.
But Fulham soon had the cushion of a third goal after more outstanding build-up play."
— 2011 November 3, Arindam Rej, “Fulham 4-1 Wisla Krakow”, in BBC Sport:
"It will most likely not alter the destination of the league title, which still seems bound for City, who retain an 11-point cushion at the top"
— 2021 March 7, David Hytner, “Manchester United catch City cold as Fernandes and Shaw end winning run”, in The Guardian:
"The entry-level wages are abominable, still something like $15,000 a year. You can't possibly be a working class person and live on that in New York City. You need some kind of family "cushion." So what you'll find in publishing is middle class professionals, people who see material about working class people as "foreign.""
— 1990 February 4, Pam Mitchell, Valerie Miller, “Skepticism, Steel Mills And Everyday Stories”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 29, page 8:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She placed a soft ____ on the chair to make it more comfortable.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The old woman was snugly sitting on a ____.