well-padded
Meaning
Having a thick, soft layer of material inside for comfort or protection.
(of a person) Having a plump or fleshy physique.
Structure
Usage
The well-padded armchair provided hours of comfortable reading.
For safety, the interior of the delivery van was well-padded.
He was a well-padded gentleman who enjoyed his meals.
Etymology
The compound adjective 'well-padded' is a straightforward combination of two English elements. The adverb 'well,' with its Old English origins in words denoting goodness and abundance, is used here as an intensifier meaning "thoroughly" or "amply." It modifies the adjective 'padded,' which derives from the 16th-century verb 'pad,' likely of imitative origin related to the soft sound of footsteps or the action of stuffing. The literal, physical sense of "amply stuffed with soft material" (as in furniture or protective gear) naturally extended to a more figurative, often euphemistic, description of a person's plump or fleshy physique, emphasizing a sense of soft fullness rather than bony leanness.
Analysis
- well: From Old English wel, meaning "in a good way, thoroughly, abundantly." It functions as an intensifying adverb in compound adjectives. - padded: From the verb pad, meaning "to fill or cover with soft material." The suffix -ed forms the past participle, which functions as an adjective meaning "having been filled/covered."