cushion• In the familiarbluenightgown and flannelrobe, Aunt Mary, propped against a cushion, sat next to me.• She sat cross-legged on a cushion on the floor.• Good shoes should provide a cushion when running on concrete.• Paul settles on a red and black cushion.• To build up a bigger financialcushion for emergencies.• The guests were offered cushions on the floor.• The Red Wings had a three-point cushion in the second period.• I made out what I could: My dear Irene, Thank you again for the cushions.• Benjy pushed the cushions back on to the couch.• The cushion was embroidered with a pattern of goldenkeys.• She hid it under cushions, in vases, under the staircarpet, and then forgot where she had put it.
cushion against• Banks should have money to act as a cushion against possible losses from loans.
cushion2 verb [transitiveT]
1PROTECTto make the effect of a fall or hit less painful, for example by having something soft in the way 缓冲
His landing was cushioned by the fresh snow that had fallen.
他落地时刚下的雪起到了缓冲作用。
2PROTECTto protect someone from an unpleasant situation or the unpleasant effects of something 使免受冲击,减轻…的影响
cushion the blow/impact (of something)
generous leaving allowances to help cushion the blow of redundancy
缓和裁员打击的不菲的离职补贴
cushion somebody from/against something
5Parents today often feel their children should be cushioned from the outside world.
如今的父母常常觉得自己的孩子应该被保护起来免受外部世界的打击。
nMany parents try to cushion their children from the outside world.
cushion the blow/impact (of something)• It would take all we had just to cushion the impact.• The thick, air-filled bone of the skull helps to cushion the blow.• There was no way to cushion the blow.• Even where price increases have taken place, retailers with good stocks may be able to cushion the blow for a while.• The law will cushion the blow for homeowners by gradually phasing in the tax increases.• Additionally, two presidentialdecrees on March 23 had been designed to cushion the blow of the price rises.• To cushion the blow, wages and pensions were increased.• Many firms, it says, cushion the blow with new bonusschemes or lumpsumpayments.
Origincushion1
(1300-1400)Old Frenchcoissin, from Vulgar Latincoxinus, from Latincoxa“hip”