What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between squab and cushion?

squab | cushion |

In obsolete terms the difference between squab and cushion

is that squab is to fall plump; to strike at one dash, or with a heavy stroke while cushion is a riotous dance, formerly common at weddings.

As an adjective squab

is fat; thick; plump; bulky.

As an adverb squab

is with a heavy fall; plump.

squab

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A baby pigeon or dove.
  • The meat of a squab (i.e. a young (domestic) pigeon or dove) used as food.
  • A baby rook.
  • A thick cushion, especially a flat one covering the seat of a chair or sofa.
  • * (imitating Earl of Dorset), Artemisia'', 1795, Robert Anderson (editor), ''A Complete Edition of the Poets of Great Britain , page 86,
  • On her large ?quab you find her ?pread, / Like a fat corp?e upon a bed, / That lies and ?tinks in ?tate.
  • * (rfdate)
  • Punching the squab of chairs and sofas.
  • A person of a short, fat figure.
  • * , The Progress of Error'', 1824, ''Poems of William Cowper, Esq , page 28,
  • Gorgonius sits abdominous and wan, / Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan:

    Synonyms

    * (baby pigeon) piper, squeaker, pigeon chick, young pigeon, baby dove * (baby rook) rook chick, young rook

    Verb

    (squabb)
  • (obsolete) To fall plump; to strike at one dash, or with a heavy stroke.
  • To furnish with squabs, or cushions.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Fat; thick; plump; bulky.
  • * (rfdate) Betterton
  • Nor the squab daughter nor the wife were nice.
  • Unfledged; unfeathered.
  • a squab pigeon
    (King)

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (slang) With a heavy fall; plump.
  • * (rfdate) L'Estrange
  • The eagle took the tortoise up into the air, and dropped him down, squab , upon a rock.
    (Webster 1913)

    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.