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What is the difference between pillow and cushion?

pillow | cushion |

As nouns the difference between pillow and cushion

is that pillow is a soft cushion used to support the head in bed while cushion is a soft mass of material stuffed into a cloth bag, used for comfort or support; for sitting on, kneeling on, resting one's head on etc.

As verbs the difference between pillow and cushion

is that pillow is to rest as on a pillow while cushion is to furnish with cushions.

pillow

English

(wikipedia pillow)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A soft cushion used to support the head in bed.
  • (geology) A pillow lava.
  • (engineering) A piece of metal or wood, forming a support to equalize pressure; a brass; a pillow block.
  • (nautical) A block under the inner end of a bowsprit.
  • A kind of plain, coarse fustian.

    • Derived terms

    * pillow-biter * pillow block * pillow case * pillow fight * pillowing * pillow lace * pillow lava * pillow sham * pillowy

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To rest as on a pillow.
  • * 1942': She had '''pillowed her head on her arm — Rebecca West, ''Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (Canongate 2006, p. 815-6)

    • cushion

    English

    (wikipedia cushion)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A soft mass of material stuffed into a cloth bag, used for comfort or support; for sitting on, kneeling on, resting one's head on etc.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
    • , title= , chapter=1 citation , passage=“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. […]”}}
  • * , chapter=12
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=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.}}
  • Something acting as a cushion, especially to absorb a shock or impact.
  • # A pad on which gilders cut gold leaf.
  • # A mass of steam in the end of the cylinder of a steam engine to receive the impact of the piston.
  • # (sports, billiards, snooker, pool) The lip around a table in cue sports which absorbs some of the impact of the billiard balls and bounces them back.
  • (figuratively) a sufficient quantity of an intangible object (like points or minutes) to allow for some of those points, for example, to be lost without hurting one's chances for successfully completing an objective.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=November 3, author=Arindam Rej, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Fulham 4-1 Wisla Krakow , passage=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.}}
  • (obsolete) A riotous dance, formerly common at weddings.
    • (Halliwell)

    See also

    * pillow * squab

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To furnish with cushions.
    • to cushion a sofa
  • To seat or place on, or as on a cushion.
  • * Bolingbroke
    • Many who are cushioned on thrones would have remained in obscurity.
  • To absorb or deaden the impact of.
    • to cushion a blow
  • To conceal or cover up, as under a cushion.