See Also: sea pincushion(medicine)
pincushion(dictionary)
pincushion(dictionary)
pincushion distortion(medicine)

pincushion (iou)



pincushion noun. E17.
[from PIN noun + CUSHION noun.]
A small cushion in which pins may be stuck in readiness for use. E17.
Any of several plants with flower-heads resembling a pincushion; spec. (a) any of several scabiouses, esp. sweet scabious, Scabiosa atropurpurea; (b) Austral. (more fully blue pincushion) an Australian plant, Brunonia australis (family Brunoniaceae), with rounded heads of blue flowers. M19.
Comb.: pincushion distortion a form of optical distortion in which straight lines along the edge of a screen, lens, etc., bulge towards the centre.