pillow

[ pil-oh ]
See synonyms for pillow on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a bag or case made of cloth that is filled with feathers, down, or other soft material, and is used to cushion the head during sleep or rest.

  2. anything used to cushion the head; headrest: a pillow of moss.

  1. Also called lace pillow. a hard cushion or pad that supports the pattern and threads in the making of bobbin lace.

  2. a supporting piece or part, as the block on which the inner end of a bowsprit rests.

verb (used with object)
  1. to rest on or as on a pillow.

  2. to support with pillows.

  1. to serve as a pillow for: She pillowed the child with her body.

verb (used without object)
  1. to rest as on a pillow.

Origin of pillow

1
before 900; Middle English pilwe,Old English pylu<Latin pulvīnus cushion (whence also German Pfühl)

synonym study For pillow

1. See cushion.

Other words from pillow

  • pil·low·less, adjective
  • pil·low·like, adjective
  • un·pil·lowed, adjective

Words that may be confused with pillow

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use pillow in a sentence

  • One pillowed his head upon her arm, and drenched his dusty brow with tears; her comrade wrung her hands, and shrieked for 'help!

    Alone | Marion Harland
  • In it lay a child fast asleep, his head pillowed upon a sheaf of grain.

    Myths of Babylonia and Assyria | Donald A. Mackenzie
  • He snoring gently and she with her head pillowed on his chest.

    The Beach of Dreams | H. De Vere Stacpoole
  • Dylara lay face down on a broad branch, her head pillowed on a heap of moss, biting her lips to keep back tears of bitter anguish.

    Warrior of the Dawn | Howard Carleton Browne
  • On one side of the hearth lay Sneak, his head pillowed upon one of the hounds, while the other slept against his back.

    Wild Western Scenes | John Beauchamp Jones

British Dictionary definitions for pillow

pillow

/ (ˈpɪləʊ) /


noun
  1. a cloth case stuffed with feathers, foam rubber, etc, used to support the head, esp during sleep

  2. Also called: cushion a padded cushion or board on which pillow lace is made

  1. anything like a pillow in shape or function

verb(tr)
  1. to rest (one's head) on or as if on a pillow

  2. to serve as a pillow for

Origin of pillow

1
Old English pylwe, from Latin pulvīnus cushion; compare German Pfühl

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012