Thursday, July 16, 2015

Word of the day: bolster

The word of the day is bolster:

  1. long, often cylindrical, cushion orpillow for bed, sofa, etc.
  2. anything resembling this in form or inuse as support.
  3. any pillow, cushion, or pad.
O.E. bolster "bolster, cushion, something stuffed so that it swells up," especially "long, stuffed pillow," from P.Gmc. *bolkhstraz (cf. O.N. bolstr, Dan., Swed., Du. bolster, Ger. polster), from PIE *bhelgh- "to swell" (see belly). The verb in the figurative sense is from c.1500, on the notion of "to support with a bolster, prop up." (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bolster)


"On the Great Barrier Reef, the sea cucumbers are the size of bolster cushions."

 - Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: an Unnatural History

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