Pincushion
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 A device, originally like a small, stuffed cushion, designed to have sewing pins and needles stuck into it to store them safely; some modern pincushions hold the objects magnetically.
"Then for womens cloaths, the cabadge of cloath of ſilver, brancht Sattin, and the like, went for pin-cuſhions, pin-pillows, womens purſes; and if black, Church-wardens capes."
- 2 a small stiff cushion into which pins are stuck ready for use wordnet
- 3 The names of various plants with flowers or other parts resembling a pincushion.; A flowering plant in the genus Leucospermum.
"[S]ee how the knowledge of the climate tolerances of one South African shrub, the Saldana pincushion (Leucospermum tomentosum) is integrated with projections of a global circulation model applied to the southern tip of South Africa [...]."
- 4 The names of various plants with flowers or other parts resembling a pincushion.; A flowering plant in the genus Scabiosa.
"Scabiosa, often called mourning bride, pincushion flower, and sweet scabious, is an easily grown, old-fashioned, half-hardy annual. It is very attractive and satisfactory both for cutting and for borders and beds."
- 5 The names of various plants with flowers or other parts resembling a pincushion.; A coral bead plant, coral moss, or English baby tears (Nertera granadensis), an ornamental plant.
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- 6 The names of various plants with flowers or other parts resembling a pincushion.; A dustymaiden, a flowering plant in the genus Chaenactis.
"An abundant wildflower following good winter rains, Fremont pincushion [Chaenactis fremontii] features heads composed entirely of white or pinkish disk flowers."
- 7 The names of various plants with flowers or other parts resembling a pincushion.; A pincushion cactus, of the genera Escobaria or Mammillaria.
"Alverson's pincushion cactus (Coryophantha vivipara var. alversonii), under status review by the USF&WS for possible listing as threatened or endangered, is reported to occur the along the northwest boundary of the WSA."
- 8 The names of various plants with flowers or other parts resembling a pincushion.; A pincushionplant, a flowering plant in the genus Navarretia.
"Marigold pincushion [Navarretia tagetina], however, is widespread throughout the region except along the coast. [...] In eastern Sacramento County, it grows together with downy pincushion (Navarretia pubescens) in small clearings in blue oak woodland."
- 9 A person who is pricked or stabbed multiple times with sharp objects; specifically, someone who receives regular hypodermic needle injections. colloquial, figuratively
"Insulin-dependent diabetics are human pincushions."
- 1 To jab or stick repeatedly with one or more sharp objects, as with pins into a pincushion. also, figuratively, transitive
"The target was pincushioned with arrows."
- 2 To assume the shape of a pincushion; specifically, of the image on a computer display, television, etc., to exhibit pincushion distortion, where the sides curve inwards. intransitive
"A monitor is pincushioning when the display appears to have curved sides."
Example
More examples"Mary’s cat is so sweet that I really don’t mind him curling up in my lap, but the way he insists on kneading my legs with his claws makes me feel like a pincushion."
Etymology
The noun is derived from pin + cushion. The verb is derived from the noun.
Related phrases
More for "pincushion"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.