Noun : His inheritance was a cushion against unemployment.    From Dictionary.com. 

Verb (used with object) : to cushion the blow to his pride.    From Dictionary.com. 

It would appear from the shoes studied that performance, in terms of cushioning, is not related to cost.    From Wordnik.com.  [Archive 2007-10-01] Reference

The cushioning is not by error but the result of the stimulus without tax breaks for the rich who own the Rethugican party. jim addison.    From Wordnik.com.  [Obama aide hints at second stimulus, tries to slam door on tax talk] Reference

Bubble Wrap cushioning, which is used to protect products in transit, is celebrating its 50th year anniversary.    From Wordnik.com.  [Cleveland Leader - Cleveland News & More!] Reference

There is no "cushioning" effect of a diversified portfolio - leaving investors disappointed.    From Wordnik.com.  [Recently Uploaded Slideshows] Reference

"cushioning" their swing and allowing them to still hit the pitch.    From Wordnik.com.  [DRaysBay] Reference

The recovery plan is working in cushioning the blow.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Aug 6, 2009] Reference

TERFFINGER: Well, it's got a lot a lot of cushioning.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Sep 29, 2007] Reference

Grass offers little cushioning in the event of a fall.    From Wordnik.com.  [Swing into safety on the White House lawn] Reference

His integral force field expanded, cushioning their landing.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Dreaming Void]

Lower rates would improve confidence by cushioning any slowdown.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Market’s Echo Chamber] Reference

It's supportive, but you've got this little cushioning on the top.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Sep 29, 2007] Reference

“Whatever!” she snapped, and slumped down into the cushioning.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Dreaming Void]

No single brand delivers the best value -- or the best cushioning.    From Wordnik.com.  [Fitness: Pavement Pounding] Reference

MANTER: Yes, I've got the standard cushioning on the roller coaster.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Jun 26, 2002] Reference

They've got a computer chip which will adjust the cushioning levels.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript May 6, 2004] Reference

We're going to pull it off, retape it, get some cushioning around it.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Dec 16, 2004] Reference

Is there a nice layer of cushioning that your child could fall on to?.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Sep 2, 2006] Reference

As we get older, this sponge dries out and it becomes less cushioning.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Aug 30, 2007] Reference

"Poor thing!" she exclaimed, cushioning his head against a plush pillow.    From Wordnik.com.  [A Spell For Chameleon]

There's actually no cushioning in here, so this is going to be a problem.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Dec 16, 2004] Reference

It was almost upon it before it belched forth the cushioning blast of gas.    From Wordnik.com.  [Astounding Stories of Super-Science February 1930] Reference

The forest floor was paved with layers of brown needles, cushioning their footfalls.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Lightkeeper]

And please don't tell me about the Social Security trust fund's cushioning that blow.    From Wordnik.com.  [Books, Cooked D.C. Style] Reference

All I know is that it was Benson that did the falling and Jolly that did the cushioning.    From Wordnik.com.  [Ice Station Zebra]

She wrapped her wings down under herself and the egg, cushioning the contacts with the hard nest.    From Wordnik.com.  [Roc and a Hard Place]

BERND: There is a wood fiber material that is used as a cushioning material in some of our play areas.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Aug 18, 2007] Reference

There are distortions in the pricing mechanism, which are cushioning the impact of higher crude prices.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Oil Shock With No Pain] Reference

FORTIN: Dr. Perry Julien argues many of the thin-soled foot coverings lack proper support and cushioning.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Jul 28, 2007] Reference

If your heels don't offer cushioning, buy ball-of-foot gel pads at your local drugstore or shoe repair shop.    From Wordnik.com.  [Leora Tanenbaum: Take Off Those Flip-Flops! And 5 Other Essential Summer Shoe Tips] Reference

His father used to drive a car that had fuzzy velvet-like cushioning, and it made Ne'eman crazy to sit in it.    From Wordnik.com.  [Erasing Autism] Reference

After Druce had left, Elsie folded her arms on the table and cushioning her head on them, began to weep softly.    From Wordnik.com.  [Little Lost Sister] Reference

And it's tackling a really concrete problem, which is being able to self adjust your cushioning with every step.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Dec 11, 2004] Reference

And it sends that information to a motor, which then uses a pully to adjust the amount of cushioning in the heel.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Dec 11, 2004] Reference

And if it happened to be necessary, there was some cushioning; there were three sentences to every one that was needed.    From Wordnik.com.  [Peach] Reference

Finally, we must aid in cushioning the heavy and rising costs of illness and hospitalization to individuals and families.    From Wordnik.com.  [State of the Union Address (1790-2001)] Reference

And government benefits — nonexistent in the '30s — play a vast role in cushioning the blow from an economic slowdown.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Sky Isn’t Falling] Reference

In the ditches the cushioning moss is green and through the brown tangled weeds along Silver Creek the new grass is peeping.    From Wordnik.com.  [Green Valley] Reference